Sahel EDU

School management software in the Central African Republic: the system and getting started

In the Central African Republic, a school follows a calendar that changes from year to year, prepares students for national exams at the end of each cycle and often works with very large classes and a fragile network outside the capital. This page describes the system, then says what Sahel EDU, school management software designed in Ngaoundéré, already offers a school in Bangui or the provinces and what is set up with our team before opening.

The Central African system: fundamental 1, fundamental 2 and high school

The system is of French heritage, with its own names. According to a UNESCO report, pre-school is optional, from three to six years old. Fundamental 1 education is primary school: six years, from the initiation course (CI) to CM2. Fundamental 2 education is lower secondary school, from the 6e to the 3e. High school lasts three years.

Technical and vocational education prepares students for the CAP and the technician’s baccalaureate in technical high schools and technical colleges, of which there are few. Part of the press still uses the older terms primary school, college and high school for these cycles.

Pre-school: from three to six years old, in small, middle and large sections.
Fundamental 1: six years, from CI to CM2 (CI, CP, CE1, CE2, CM1, CM2), in primary school.
Fundamental 2: four years, from the 6e to the 3e, in the college.
General secondary: 2nde, 1re and Terminale, in the high school.
Technical and vocational: technical high school and technical colleges.

Exams, marking and the calendar in a Central African school

Exams are known by name: the CEF 1 (primary studies certificate 1, formerly the CEPE) at the end of CM2, the entrance competition for the 6e, the lower secondary certificate (BC, also called the BEF 2, formerly the BEPC) at the end of the 3e, and the baccalaureate of general, technical and vocational education, which is taken in two rounds. A CM2 student sits both the CEF 1 and the 6e entrance competition. In Fundamental 1, progression exams take place at the end of the year and the school fills in a mark book; in secondary school, people speak of a report card.

Continuous assessment structures the year, and according to UNESCO a class council brings together the head, the deputy head or director of studies, a senior supervisor and the teachers. The press speaks of three terms and of marking out of 20 in secondary school; the rules for promotion and grades rest on no text we could read, so the school sets them. The calendar varies from year to year, with an administrative start followed by a teaching start, and lessons often actually resume later in the provinces.

Languages of instruction and types of school

French is the language of instruction, and Sango, a national language, is also an official language. In some border areas, students speak mainly Arabic or local languages, which forces teachers to improvise.

Schools are public, private secular (opening one requires prior authorisation), faith-based (Catholic education forms an associated network), community-run, with parent-teachers paid from the contributions of parents’ associations (APE), or international. The private sector weighs most in pre-school, about two thirds of students in 2017 according to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics. School administration relies on academic inspectorates and school districts.

What Sahel EDU already offers a Central African school

Sahel EDU is today designed, validated and usable for schools in Cameroon. For a school in the Central African Republic, the application already reads in French, English and Arabic, counts in CFA francs and has the common tools: classes, marks out of 5, 10, 20 or 100, the register, fees and receipts, and documents that can be verified by QR Code.

Marks out of 20 (or 5, 10, 100), averages, ranks and grades worked out by a single engine, with coefficients set by subject and by series.
A report card that fits on one A4 page whatever the number of subjects; a whole class comes out as a single PDF.
The register and mark entry kept on the phone when the network drops, then sent again when the connection returns.
Fees by item (registration, tuition, parents’ association contribution), payment schedules, numbered receipts and each family’s balance.
Splitting students into balanced classes: three commented proposals, which the head then applies.
Documents (school attendance certificate, certificate, student card) with a verification QR Code once the school’s opening authorisation has been verified.

What is set up with our team before opening

However, the levels, exams, calendars and official report cards of your country are not built in: they are set up with our team, school by school, before opening. Describe your situation to us: we will tell you frankly what is ready and what remains to be adapted.

If a start is possible, it begins with a free trial of 30 days, with no commitment. The price is then negotiated with each school and can be read on the Pricing page.

The levels CI to CM2 and the names CEF 1, lower secondary certificate and 6e entrance competition are not preloaded: we set them up with you.
Terms, the administrative start and the teaching start are entered each year; the actual resumption of lessons may differ.
There is no Sango interface: the application reads in French, English and Arabic.
Documents come out without a state letterhead: they carry the school’s name, logo and colour.
Phone numbers are normalised to the Cameroonian format, and the payment methods offered are those of Cameroon.
No automatic exchange with the exam services: the school prepares its own lists.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

Can Sahel EDU serve a school in Bangui right now?

It is designed and validated for Cameroon. For the Central African Republic, the application reads in French and has its common tools, but Central African levels, exams, calendars and report cards are set up with our team before opening.

Are the levels CI to CM2 and the CEF 1 provided for?

They are not preloaded. We set them up with you, school by school, before opening.

Can we track parents’ association contributions separately from tuition?

Yes. Fees are kept by item, each payment is split item by item, and the school records what it receives.

What happens to data entry when the network is down?

The register and mark entry are kept on the phone and are sent when the connection returns. Collecting school fees and most other screens need a connection.

Can we try it before committing?

If a start is possible after talking with our team, it begins with a free trial of 30 days, with no commitment.

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