The verdict in three sentences
In Thies, many shopkeepers, junior secretaries and first-time office job seekers do everything on their phone and miss opportunities because they cannot use a computer. Level 1 Essential of the Kolonell Academy Office track, 25,000 FCFA for 9 hours, teaches Windows, the AZERTY keyboard, file organisation and professional email with attachments. It costs the same as five private lessons, for a complete curriculum, corrected exercises and a verifiable certificate.
What not knowing how to use a computer really costs
In office job ads in Thies, whether at a wholesale hardware store, a private school, a freight forwarding firm or an SME in the industrial zone, the line "computer literate" appears almost every time. Recruiters often check in a few minutes: find a file, attach a document to an email, rename a folder. A hesitant candidate is turned down, even with a good degree.
For a shopkeeper the cost is different but real: lost invoices, lost product photos, supplier emails left unanswered, or depending on the cybercafe to print and send every document.
| Option in Thies | Price, 2026 order of magnitude | What you get | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kolonell Master your computer course | 25,000 FCFA (38 EUR) for 9 h | Full curriculum, corrected exercises, verifiable certificate | You need a computer to practise |
| Self-teaching at a cybercafe | 300 FCFA per hour | Access to a machine | Nobody to explain, no method |
| Private lesson at home | 5,000 FCFA per session | Personal explanations | 5 sessions = 25,000 FCFA, variable content |
| Local training centre | 40,000 to 75,000 FCFA | Group classes | Fixed hours, imposed pace |
| Free online tutorials | 0 FCFA (excluding data) | Occasional tips | No logical order, no follow-up |
The 9-hour curriculum, step by step
The beginner course Master your computer, your files and your email (taught in French) is level 1 Essential of the Office and productivity track. It truly starts from zero and explains every action.
| Step | What you learn | Concrete result |
|---|---|---|
| Windows 11 and the desktop | Start, open, close, manage windows | You work without panicking at the screen |
| AZERTY keyboard | Accents, capitals, special characters (@, €) | You type an email address without errors |
| Files and folders | Create, rename, move, find | No more documents lost in Downloads |
| Professional email | Serious address, clear subject, polite closing | An email recruiters and suppliers take seriously |
| Attachments and PDF | Attach, compress, scan with your phone | A complete application sent in one go |
| Online backup | Google Drive or OneDrive, link sharing | Your documents survive a computer breakdown |
| Shortcuts | About twenty useful shortcuts | Roughly one hour saved per day at the office |
Next, level 2 of the track, Professional Word at 50,000 FCFA, teaches clean CVs and letters. The full 5-level track costs 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000 and leads all the way to executive assistant.
Mini case study
Fatou, 26, with a vocational diploma (BTS) in Thies, is looking for her first job as an administrative officer. She failed two interviews where she was asked to email a document from the office computer. She takes the course at 25,000 FCFA over two weeks, practising at a cybercafe at 300 FCFA an hour for 10 hours, so 3,000 FCFA more. Total invested: 28,000 FCFA.
If she lands a job at 140,000 FCFA a month, a 2026 order of magnitude for a junior administrative officer in Thies, her investment equals a little over 6 days of salary. Nothing guarantees she gets hired, but she will no longer be rejected on the computer test, which was her identified weak point.
Learn this skill with Kolonell Academy
Short, practical online courses (taught in French), graded exercises, certificate. Pay with Wave or Orange Money.
FAQ
I don't have a computer at home. Can I still take the course?
Yes, you can watch lessons on your phone and practise at a cybercafe for about 300 FCFA an hour. Plan 9 hours of lessons plus 5 to 10 hours of practice, so 1,500 to 3,000 FCFA at the cybercafe.
Do I need to read and write French fluently?
Lessons are in simple French, with screenshots for every action. A primary school reading level is enough, and the email module provides ready-to-use sentence templates.
How long before I feel comfortable?
At 1 hour a day, most beginners finish in about 2 weeks. The 20 shortcuts and the filing method are usable from the first week.
Is it useful for a shopkeeper who is not job hunting?
Yes: filing invoices and photos, answering suppliers by email and backing up documents online prevent losses far larger than 25,000 FCFA. It is also the foundation for selling online later.
How do I enroll from Thies?
Payment is made with Wave or Orange Money, no bank card needed, and access opens as soon as it is confirmed.
Take the next step. Enroll in Master your computer, your files and your email: 9 h online, 25,000 FCFA, verifiable certificate. Pay with Wave or Orange Money. Questions? WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
