Sahel EDU

Principals: running a large school and delegating without losing control

At the head of a high school or college, the principal can no longer see everything in person: tasks are delegated to the deputy head, the senior supervisor, the bursar and the section heads. The point is not to control everything, but to know who may do what and to keep hold of whatever commits the whole school. This is how Sahel EDU answers that need, and where its limits lie.

A principal’s day: deciding more than entering

A head of school leads a team: the deputy head (censeur) for studies, the timetable and class councils, the senior supervisor for school life and discipline, the bursar or accountant for the cash desk, expenses and payroll, the school office for records, and the form teachers for their classes. The day is spent deciding, signing and receiving people. The principal needs to see without having to ask.

Knowing the state of the school without waiting for the evening reports.
Being sure that each colleague does only what belongs to the post.
Keeping hold of what commits the school: publishing results, closing a term, granting a discount, signing a document.
Finding out who did what when a question comes up.
Handing the authorities the function reports and the start-of-term status report.

Delegating by profile: who may do what

In Sahel EDU a right is precise (enter marks, validate, collect payment, publish…) and a profile is a bundle of rights. The profiles provided are: head of school, deputy head, senior supervisor, supervisor, bursar, secretary, teacher, teaching follow-up officer, section head, teaching coordinator, proprietor and PTA committee.

Roles are read within the current school only, and one person can hold several posts in a single account. A right that is withdrawn takes effect on the next request, without waiting for the person to sign out.

The deputy head validates marks, generates report cards, builds the timetable, follows the teaching and decides at the class council.
The senior supervisor keeps the register, absences and discipline, without entering or validating marks.
The bursar collects fees, runs the cash desk, expenses, deposits and payroll, but cannot grant a discount.
The school office enrols students and keeps records, without validating marks.
A section head reads only the statistics of that section; a teaching coordinator writes only the report of that department.
The proprietor reads the money and the statistics, without touching marks.

What stays reserved to the head of school

Some decisions commit the whole school. They are not delegated by default: only the head of school takes them.

Publishing a term’s results, class by class, after the paper report card has been handed over.
Closing the end-of-year council and rolling over to the next year, or reopening a closed term council, which is then logged.
Correcting a validated mark, with a written reason.
Granting a discount or awarding a scholarship; above a threshold, a second authorised person confirms (dual control).
Setting the rule on withheld report cards, releasing a report card or making an exception.
Setting the school’s settings: marking scale, sections, calendar, official documents.

Securing access and signing documents

Two-factor authentication is compulsory for the head of school, the deputy head and the bursar, in the school where they work: a Google Authenticator code, backup codes to keep somewhere safe, an 8-hour session with a visible timer, and never a “stay signed in” option. Resetting a person’s password also removes their two-factor authentication.

Documents carry the school’s name, logo and colour, and the right signatory: principal or head, headmaster or headmistress. The report card carries three endorsements and a QR Code that opens a verification page. A document carries that QR Code only if the school has an issuing key and a verified opening authorisation; otherwise it comes out without a QR Code and says so.

Sensitive actions leave a trace: the log of sensitive actions is open to the head of school, a mark correction keeps its reason, and a cancelled expense is never erased.

Steering: indicators, reports and limits

The “Overview” screen shows today’s attendance, how far mark entry has progressed and fee collection; “Official indicators” follows four thresholds per class and per term (hours covered, syllabus covered, attendance, success by subject). The results summary shows progress against the previous term and against the year before, with a signed, versioned comment from the head of school. Students can rate their teachers anonymously, from a level the head sets; the report appears only from 5 responses.

The head of school’s report and the start-of-term status report are prepared in the software, then downloaded as PDF, Word or spreadsheet with “Confirm and download”, to be handed over by the school: nothing is sent to the authorities. The software gives signals; it does not punish. A timetable is a proposal adopted by the deputy head or the head, and a sanction is decided by a person.

Frequently asked questions

Can the deputy head publish the report cards?

No. The deputy head validates marks and generates report cards; publishing to families belongs to the head of school.

Can a right be withdrawn from someone overnight?

Yes. The withdrawn right takes effect on the next request, without waiting for the person to sign out.

What if a manager loses the phone used for authentication?

Backup codes exist for that case; they must be kept somewhere safe. Resetting the account’s password also removes the two-factor authentication.

Can we tell who changed what?

Sensitive actions are traced: a mark correction with its reason, a cancelled expense kept on file, a reopened council logged, and a log of sensitive actions for the head of school.

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.

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