Sahel EDU

Staff attendance by QR Code, from the school gate to the head’s dashboard

On paper, the teachers’ attendance sheet is filled in after the fact, and the head finds out about a class without a teacher when the students are already waiting. With Sahel EDU, a staff attendance app, a QR Code is posted at the gate: everyone scans it with their own phone on arrival and on leaving, and the head sees late arrivals and gaps against the timetable.

The teachers’ attendance register: where it breaks down

In most schools, staff attendance lives in a notebook or on a sheet signed at the door. The principle is simple, but its limits show quickly.

Signing sometimes happens after the fact, from memory, and the real arrival time is lost.
A lesson that starts without its teacher is only known when students come to say so.
At the end of the month, the hours worked have to be counted again by hand, especially for staff paid by the hour.
The sheet cannot say whether the person was due at that hour: it knows nothing about the timetable.

How teachers clock in with a QR Code

The QR Code is printed on a poster at the entrance of the school, and each person clocks in with their own account.

On arrival and on leaving, the person opens “Clock in” on their phone and scans the poster.
One phone per person: nobody can clock in for a colleague.
Clocking in works inside the school zone set by the head, not from home.
The poster is renewed, and a fraud alert flags abnormal attempts.
The phone confirms with sounds and vibrations: scan read, success, failure or fraud.
A clock-in screen on a tablet is also possible.

How to monitor teachers: clock-ins checked against the timetable

A clock-in alone only says when a person arrived. Sahel EDU checks it against the timetable to say whether the person was there when needed. The analysis picks out three cases, which each person can then explain.

These gaps are flagged, never penalised automatically: the head makes the judgement, after hearing the person concerned. The school’s day of rest and its days without lessons are respected, because a day without lessons expects no clock-in.

An arrival after the start of a lesson.
A departure before the end of a lesson.
A lesson with no clock-in at all.
For each one, an explanation from the person concerned, kept with the gap.

What the head sees, and what follows

The head and the deputy head no longer wait for the evening to learn that a lesson has no teacher. The day’s late arrivals are on their dashboard, and gaps build up with their history rather than in sheets to be gathered.

For staff paid by the hour, payroll hours are calculated from the timetable checked against clock-ins. Each person’s rate, hourly or monthly, is set by the school.

A live signal when a lesson has started and the teacher has not clocked in, so the school can react without waiting for the end of the day.
The gaps to be explained, with their history.
A monthly attendance sheet, ready to be signed.

Limits of QR Code clock-in, and where to start

QR Code clock-in does not replace the head’s judgement, and it needs a few conditions to be met.

To get started: enter the timetable, set the school zone, print the poster, then have each staff member register their phone.

It needs a connection at the moment of clocking in: only certain entries, such as the register and marks, are kept when the network drops.
There is no facial recognition: clocking in relies on the person’s phone and the school’s poster.
Without an up-to-date timetable there is nothing to check against: gaps assume that lessons are placed correctly.
Staff must be informed: the rules on lateness and explanations belong to the school’s own regulations.

Frequently asked questions

Does every staff member need a smartphone?

Each person clocks in with their own phone, one phone per person. A clock-in screen on a tablet is also possible.

Can someone clock in from home with a photo of the poster?

No. Clocking in works inside the school zone, the poster is renewed and a fraud alert flags abnormal attempts.

What happens when a teacher forgets to clock in?

The lesson with no clock-in shows up as a gap. The person can explain it, then the head makes the judgement.

Is clock-in used to calculate payroll?

For staff paid by the hour, yes: hours are calculated from the timetable checked against clock-ins, at the rate set by the school.

Can we try staff attendance 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