Each school year, Dakar private schools process 800 to 1,500 parents over 3 weeks. Long lines, lost photocopies, refused checks. Online enrollment solves 90% of this chaos - if well designed.
TL;DR
- Multi-step form: identity, schooling, payment, validation.
- Uploaded documents: birth certificate, report cards, medical certificate, photo.
- Registration fee payment via Wave (95% of mobile money market).
- Admin workflow: document verification, complete file, seat assigned.
- Secretary time savings: 60% average (Kolonell data, 8 schools).
The 5 steps of a digitized enrollment file
1. Parent account creation
Parent creates an account (email + password or WhatsApp OTP). One account can enroll multiple children. Magic link by email for parents unfamiliar with digital.
2. Student identity entry
Structured form: last name, first name, date of birth, sex, nationality, mother tongue, residence. Dakar address autocompletion (Plateau, Almadies, Sicap, etc.).
3. Previous schooling
Previous school, requested class, last year's average, languages studied. School may impose an entrance exam depending on level.
4. Documents upload
| Document | Format | Max size |
|---|---|---|
| Birth certificate | PDF/JPG | 5 MB |
| Last 2 years report cards | 10 MB | |
| Medical certificate | PDF/JPG | 5 MB |
| ID photo | JPG | 2 MB |
| Parent ID card | PDF/JPG | 5 MB |
5. Wave registration fee payment
Parent confirms the total (typically 25,000-75,000 FCFA registration + 10,000-30,000 FCFA file fee). Wave redirect, SMS OTP payment, automatic return to site.
School-side workflow
- Secretary notification upon complete submission.
- Document verification (15 min/file vs 45 min in person).
- If incomplete file -> automatic email to parent with missing list.
- If OK -> seat assigned, school contract sent by email via DocuSign.
- Director dashboard: 850 files processed, 720 validated, 130 pending.
Kolonell technical stack
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Stack used on 8 Dakar private schools since 2024:
- Frontend: Next.js 14 + React Hook Form + Zod
- Backend: Next.js API Routes + Prisma + Neon PostgreSQL
- Upload: Cloudinary (auto compression, virus scan)
- Payment: Wave Business API (1% fee)
- Email: Brevo (300 emails/day free)
- PDF contract: pdfkit + DocuSign Lite signature
Kolonell budget per school
| Configuration | Setup price | Maintenance |
|---|---|---|
| 100 enrollments/year | 650,000 FCFA | 35,000 FCFA/month |
| 500 enrollments/year | 1,100,000 FCFA | 55,000 FCFA/month |
| 1,500+ enrollments/year | 1,800,000 FCFA | 95,000 FCFA/month |
Timeline: 5 to 7 weeks before school start. Secretary training included (1 day).
FAQ
Q: Can we keep a paper option in parallel?
A: Yes. Secretary enters physical files in the same interface. Director sees everything regardless of source.
Q: What if the parent has no Wave account?
A: Add Orange Money + bank transfer as fallback. 95% pay via Wave anyway.
Q: GDPR for minors in Senegal?
A: The Senegalese Commission de protection des données (CDP) requires explicit parental consent and limited retention. Kolonell embeds these clauses by default.
Q: Does the system handle waiting lists?
A: Yes. Full classes -> "Waiting list" button + automatic email if seat frees up.
Conclusion
Well-built online enrollment saves 60% secretary time and enhances school image. Kolonell delivers the complete solution in 6 weeks with Wave payment integrated. Free quote or 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.