Sahel EDU

How to digitalise your school: where to start and in what order

Digitalising a school does not mean buying everything at once, but choosing what to replace first and making sure the team follows. The right foundation is a reliable list of students and classes; marks, fees and the register come next. This guide gives the priorities, the minimum equipment and a four-step roadmap, with or without a particular software. It leaves aside the assisted service, described elsewhere.

What digitalising means, and what it does not

Digitalising means entering a piece of information once (a student, a mark, a payment) and finding it wherever it is needed: class list, report card, receipt, the family’s statement. It does not mean removing all paper: the report card handed to the family, the signature and the stamp keep their place.

A successful digitalisation is measured by the head of school no longer copying the same data by hand.

One entry, several uses.
Different rights according to each person’s role.
Backups that do not depend on a single computer.

The priorities, in order

Begin with what is the foundation for everything else. Each stage rests on the previous one, and skipping one forces you to start again.

Leave for later what is comfortable but not vital, such as the public website or detailed statistics.

1. Classes and students, with exact civil status and a unique number.
2. Staff and their assignments: who teaches what, in which class.
3. Marks and report cards: entry by teachers, calculation of averages.
4. Fees and receipts: what is owed, what is paid, what remains.
5. The register and absences, for families and student life staff.
6. Communication with parents, once the rest is reliable.

The minimum equipment

You need less than you might think. Most teachers already have an Android phone, and a browser is enough. Above all plan for power cuts and network outages.

Avoid buying before you know what is missing: first measure what the team already has.

One Android phone per teacher, or one phone shared per staff room.
A computer or a tablet for the school office and the Bursar.
A printer for lists, receipts and report cards.
An internet connection at school, even a slow one, or data bundles.
A way to recharge devices during a power cut.

A roadmap in four steps

Break the project into pieces so that it moves forward even in busy periods. Each step has an owner and a simple success test.

Clean the lists: classes, students, staff, fees, in a tidy spreadsheet.
Load this data into the tool and check class by class.
Have a small group use it (one class, a few teachers) before rolling out.
Extend to the whole school, and only then add the secondary features.

Doing it yourself or getting help

If a member of the team is comfortable with spreadsheets and has a few quiet weeks, the preparation of the lists can be done in-house. The guides on moving from Excel and on importing students help with this.

If the team lacks time or confidence, an assisted service takes over the records from the lists you supply. The page on the turnkey digitalisation describes this service, separate from the subscription. In both cases, keep the decision and control of the data within the school.

In-house: everything depends on the availability of a trusted person.
Assisted: the publisher’s team takes over the lists supplied.
In both cases: a school contact person remains responsible for the data.
In both cases: a check with the head of school before launch.

With Sahel EDU: where to start in practice

Sahel EDU is used in the browser of an Android phone or a computer, with no software to install and no app from the stores; it can be added to the home screen. The register and the entry of marks are kept on the phone when the network drops and are sent when the connection returns.

In the order of priorities above, the head of school opens the classes, imports students and staff through the guided import centre, sets the fees, then teachers enter their marks and take the register. Families then access their space, with results once published, absences and receipts.

Classes, students and staff through the guided import, with a preview before writing.
Fees item by item, payment schedules and numbered receipts.
Marks entered once by teachers, with the report card following from them.
Register and marks entry kept on the phone when the network drops.

Frequently asked questions

What should I start with to digitalise a school?

With the exact list of classes and students, with correct civil status. Marks, fees and the register build on it.

Do I need to buy a computer for each teacher?

No. An Android phone is enough to enter marks and take the register. A computer is mainly for the school office, the Bursar and the head of school.

What happens when the network drops?

In Sahel EDU, the register and the entry of marks are kept on the phone and are sent on their own when the connection returns. The other screens need a connection.

Can I get help taking over my records?

Yes, through the turnkey digitalisation service, described on its page. You can also do everything yourself with the guided import.

Can I try 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.

Try Sahel EDU for free

Try Sahel EDU free for 30 days, no commitment. Afterwards, the price is negotiated with your school and confirmed in writing.

Book a private demonstration See pricing How the trial works