Sahel EDU

The start of the school year, step by step: the head’s checklist

A successful start of the year is prepared several weeks before the students arrive: the dates, classes, staff, timetable, fees and documents must all be ready in the right order. This checklist follows the order in which things most often get stuck. It is meant for a primary head, a Principal or a head of a secondary school, with or without software.

Dates and official texts come first

Start with the official calendar of the year. For 2026-2027, the joint MINEDUB/MINESEC order of 14 August 2026 sets the return of administrative staff on 31 August 2026, that of teachers on 2 September and that of students on 7 September 2026. Copy these dates, the three terms and the holidays onto a calendar displayed in the staff room.

Then read last year’s internal rules and spot what must change: scales, fees, timetables, attendance rules. Amended rules are republished and read again by families before being applied.

Classes and numbers

The order sets maximum numbers per class: 50 students in secondary school, 60 in primary school, 30 in nursery. The real numbers must be declared to the competent authority by the second week at the latest. Late enrolment stays open without penalty until the third week for displaced students or those from crisis areas.

Count the current students who move up, repeat or leave, before promising places.
Plan the number of classes per level, then the rooms and teachers needed.
Spread students in a balanced way: ages, girls and boys, repeaters, foreign language or stream.
Display the class lists at the door before the start, in alphabetical order.
Place students who arrive after the start in a class that still has room.

Staff and the timetable

The timetable can only be built once the available teachers, their hours and the rooms are known. Settle the assignments first, then the constraints, then the placing of sessions.

Confirm the permanent teachers and recruit the part-time teachers you need before mid-August.
Note each person’s constraints: days present, hours shared with another school.
Check that no teacher and no room is placed twice at the same time.
Adopt the timetable from a clear effective date, and display it for each class.
Appoint the form teachers and set the date of the first staff meeting.

Fees, documents and supplies

Families want to know the fees before the start, item by item. The compulsory contributions of public schools are paid to the State through the official platform, and only its receipts are valid: the school does not collect them in its place.

Publish the list of the school’s fees (enrolment, tuition, uniform, PTA) and their due dates.
Prepare the numbered receipts and the list of documents to supply for enrolment.
Check the lists of textbooks and supplies to pass on to parents.
Have the student cards, the registers and the correspondence books printed.
Prepare the most requested certificates: school attendance certificate and enrolment certificate.

The first week and the common mistakes

The first week sets the tone of the year: register from the first day, teachers present, students in the right class. The mistakes that come back every year are well known.

Fixing the timetable too late, and starting lessons without it.
Exceeding a class’s maximum number at the end of the enrolment period, without telling the authority.
Forgetting to have new parents read the internal rules.
Not rereading the student lists: a misspelt name then appears on every document.
Waiting until the end of September for the first review of numbers and attendance.

With Sahel EDU

In Sahel EDU, the official calendar is entered in the console and then applied, and the school adds its own dates; only the 2026-2027 calendar is set so far, and later ones are entered. Classes open with their usual names, the spread of students is proposed in three commented versions that the head applies, and the generator proposes ten timetables that the head adopts from an effective date.

Fees are set item by item with their payment schedules, receipts are numbered, and each class’s door sheet can be printed. To bring in last year’s lists, a guided import checks each line before writing, and the turnkey digitalisation service, invoiced separately, can be requested from the free trial of 30 days.

Frequently asked questions

When should preparation for the start of the year begin?

Several weeks before the students return, starting with the official dates, then the classes, the staff and the timetable. Each step depends on the previous one.

What maximum numbers must be respected per class?

According to the joint order of 14 August 2026, 50 students in secondary school, 60 in primary school and 30 in nursery. The real numbers are declared by the second week at the latest.

Can a student be accepted after the start of the year?

Yes. The order allows late enrolment without penalty until the third week for displaced students or those from crisis areas.

Can the timetable be ready on the first day?

Yes, if the teachers, their hours and the rooms are known in advance. Sahel EDU proposes ten commented versions, and the head adopts the one of their choice.

Can I try Sahel EDU before the start of the year?

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.

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