Sahel EDU

The student file: which documents to ask for, keep and update

The student file is the memory of a pupil’s schooling: it holds their identity, their parents, their earlier results and the decisions taken about them. A well-kept file saves time at every certificate, transfer or exam; an incomplete one blocks those procedures years later. This guide says which documents to ask for, how to protect them and when to update them.

What the file is for, and what it must not contain

The file has four uses: identifying the student without error, proving their record, reaching their family, and protecting the child (health, people allowed to collect them). Ask for what serves one of these uses, and no more.

Health data, religion or the photograph call for particular care: only the people who need them should have access. In Cameroon, the 2024 law on the protection of personal data, according to the sources we consulted, strengthens safeguards on sensitive data; have your practices checked by legal counsel.

Documents to ask for at enrolment

The exact list is a matter for your rules and the instructions of your supervising ministry. Here are the documents schools commonly ask for, to be adapted.

Birth certificate: the key document, used for the exact civil status and for exam registration; if it is missing, note a “certificate missing” status and a date for settling it.
Latest report cards or a certificate of the class attended, to check the level.
Leaving certificate or transfer certificate from the previous school, for a student coming from elsewhere. We have not found a national model: the leaving certificate is signed by the head of the previous school.
Passport photographs of the student, in the number the school sets.
Signed information sheet: parents or guardian, addresses, telephone numbers, an emergency contact.
Identity document of the parent or guardian who enrols the child, to know who is responsible.
Health and vaccination sheet, if your school asks for it.

Documents added during schooling

A file lives: it is completed every year. Do not file the year’s documents loosely, sort them by school year.

The report cards of each term and the end-of-year decision.
Discipline decisions and summonses, with the follow-up given.
Proofs for long absences and medical certificates.
Parents’ consents (photo, outings) and the list of people allowed to collect the child.
Certificates issued, with their date, to find what was handed over.

Keeping, protecting, limiting access

Retention periods vary: state them according to the instructions of your supervising ministry and your own rules. The principle everywhere is not to keep what no longer serves a purpose, and to protect what you keep.

A paper file goes in a cupboard locked with a key, with a register of withdrawals: who took it, when, and when it came back. A digital file needs personal passwords, access limited by role and a backup copy.

One folder per student, filed by class, with a contents list.
A register of files taken out.
A list of people allowed to consult each type of document.
A digital copy of the essential documents, kept somewhere other than the office.
A written rule on destroying documents that are no longer needed.

Updating without starting over

Each year, have families check the information that changes most often. A sheet to reread and sign is enough, instead of a new file.

Parents’ address and telephone numbers.
Change of guardian, bereavement, separation or a new contact person.
The student’s photograph, when it no longer looks like the child.
State of health and known allergies.
Parent’s document lost, expired or replaced.

With Sahel EDU

In Sahel EDU, the student file gathers the photo, civil status, parents, annual check and history. Each document has a status, the photo is taken live on the phone and does not stay on the device, and scans are encrypted. Health sheets are encrypted and access to them is logged. The student number is assigned by the software; the national unique number, when it exists, is recorded and never invented.

A parent’s official document is stored encrypted and is used only to create their account, with a duplicate check. Parents’ consents and the people allowed to collect the child are separate registers. The student’s 360° view can be consulted and exported as a PDF.

Frequently asked questions

Which documents should be asked for to enrol a student?

Mainly the birth certificate, the latest report cards, a leaving certificate for a student from another school, photos, an information sheet and the parent’s document. The exact list depends on your rules.

What if the birth certificate is missing?

Enrol the student with a “certificate missing” status and a date for settling it, because the certificate is needed for exam registration.

How long should a file be kept?

According to the instructions of your supervising ministry and your own rules. We have not found a national period that we can quote.

Who may consult a student’s file?

Only the people who need it for their job. In Sahel EDU, rights depend on the role, and access to health sheets is logged.

Can paper files be brought into Sahel EDU?

Yes, from spreadsheet lists: a guided import checks each line before writing. Turnkey digitalisation, invoiced separately, is possible from the free trial of 30 days.

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.

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