Student ID cards with photo, from taking the picture to checking the QR Code

A student ID card is only worth something if the photo is sharp, the student number is right and the card can be checked. The hard part is not printing but the photo: getting a good one for every child, then finding it again for the card, the report card and the candidate lists. With Sahel EDU, student ID card software, the photo is taken live on the school office phone, it is used everywhere, and each card carries a QR Code that says whether it is valid.

What a student ID card should contain

A student ID card proves, at the school gate and outside it, that a child is enrolled there. It must therefore say clearly who the child is, where they study and until when the card is valid.

Whatever tool is used, a useful card carries a few simple and accurate details.

• The student’s name and a recent, sharp, front-facing photo.
• The student number, which avoids mix-ups between students with the same name.
• The place and date of birth, where the school requires them.
• The class or level, and the school year of validity.
• The name of the school and a number that belongs to that card alone.
• A way to check that it is genuine and has not been replaced.

Why student ID cards fall behind

In many schools, cards wait for photos. The photos arrive late, in different formats, sometimes blurred or taken against the light, and families have to be asked again.

• Photos come on paper, by phone or on a flash drive, in different sizes and framings.
• A poor photo is only noticed when the card is about to be printed.
• The same photo is asked for again for the report card, then for the exam candidate list.
• Nobody can quickly say how many students still have no photo.
• A lost card is remade with no trace of the old one, which may still be going around.

Quick photos: taking the picture on the school office phone

On each student’s row, a “Photo” button opens the phone camera. An oval frame guides the shot and the image is cropped to a square. Before it is sent, Sahel EDU checks that the photo is not too dark, too bright or blurred; if it is, it is retaken on the spot.

The photo does not stay on the phone: it goes straight to the student’s file. There is no facial recognition; the consistency of the photos comes from the frame. The school office, the deputy head and the management have this button.

• A class photo session shows the students one by one in alphabetical order, with a counter, and picks up where you stopped.
• A single photo is used everywhere: the card, the report card, the candidates’ sheets and lists for exams, the 360° view and the file.
• A saved photo is locked: the school asks for it to be unlocked, giving a reason, and the platform grants this for a limited time.
• If a parent has refused consent for the identity photo, the photo is not taken.
• A dashboard shows the percentage of students with no photo or an incomplete file, overall and by class.

Making the class cards, then checking them

The cards screen tells you, for each student, what is missing: photo, place and date of birth, student number. A link goes straight to the file to complete. You then generate the cards for the whole class, only those with a complete file, or a selection ticked by hand. The PDF has the size of a bank card (85.6 × 54 mm), with ten cards per A4 sheet.

Each card has its own number. A lost, stolen or damaged card is replaced by a duplicate, with a reason: the new card revokes the old one. The QR Code is read to learn whether the card is valid, expired, replaced or revoked, or whether the student is no longer enrolled.

Read also: School documents verifiable by QR Code — Sahel Shield

• Cards are only issued for enrolled students.
• The register keeps the number, the reason and the author of every issue.
• Staff ID cards follow the same principle.

Limits of the student ID card, and where to start

The card needs a complete file: with no photo, no student number or no place of birth it is not issued, and the screen says what is missing.

To get started: collect parents’ consent, run the photo session class by class, complete the files that are flagged, then print the cards.

• Taking a photo needs a connection: it is not set aside when the network drops.
• There is no facial recognition and no face detection.
• A locked photo cannot be replaced freely: prepare a clear reason for the request.
• Parents’ consent for the identity photo must be collected before the session.

Frequently asked questions

Do we need a special camera?

No. The school office phone is enough: the camera opens in the browser, with a frame that guides the shot.

Can a poor photo be retaken?

Before it is saved, yes: the photo is retaken on the spot. Once saved it is locked; the school asks for an unlock with a reason, granted for a limited time.

What should we do about a lost card?

Issue a duplicate and state the reason. The new card revokes the old one, whose QR Code then shows as replaced.

Does the same photo serve for the report card and the exams?

Yes. One photo is kept per student; it serves for the card, the report card, the candidates’ sheets and lists, and the file.

Can we try it before committing?

Yes. The free trial lasts 30 days, with no commitment. The price is then negotiated with each school and can be read on the Pricing page.

See also

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