The verdict in three sentences
A paramedical institute managing 2,000 placements a year across 40 hospitals, health centers and clinics can no longer run allocations, assessments and unpaid fees with Excel files and paper logbooks. Custom student records and placement software costs between 8 and 18 million FCFA (about 12,000 to 27,500 EUR) in Dakar in 2026, depending on the number of modules and whether hospital supervisors get a portal. It pays for itself through tuition recovery, weeks of admin work saved and files ready for Ministry of Health inspections.
What gets stuck today in a 900-student institute
Private nursing and midwifery schools in Dakar run cohorts of 250 to 350 students, three years of study and mandatory clinical rotations every semester. Each rotation involves an agreement, a site with a quota, a supervisor, a competency logbook to assess and a grade that counts toward the semester.
| Process | Paper / Excel | Business software (2026 order of magnitude) |
|---|---|---|
| Allocating 2,000 placements | 3 to 4 weeks per semester | 3 to 5 days |
| Competency logbooks returned incomplete | 15 to 25% | Under 3% |
| Placement grade entry delay | 4 to 8 weeks | Continuous, validated by the supervisor |
| Unpaid tuition at year end | 12 to 20% | 4 to 7% |
| Producing transcripts | 2 weeks per cohort | A few minutes |
| Files for Ministry inspection | Rebuilt by hand | Exportable at any time |
Modules and their price in FCFA
The core of the project is the placement module: it is what sets a health school apart from a regular school.
| Module | Function | Indicative 2026 price |
|---|---|---|
| Student records and enrollment | Student files, cohorts, nursing and midwifery tracks | 1.5 to 3 million FCFA |
| Placement allocation | Sites, quotas per ward, rotations, generated agreements | 2 to 4 million FCFA |
| Online competency logbook | Assessment grids, supervisor validation on mobile | 1.5 to 3.5 million FCFA |
| Tuition fees | Installment plan, Wave and Orange Money payment, SMS reminders | 1.5 to 3 million FCFA |
| Grades and transcripts | Weightings, theory and clinical modules, PDF transcripts | 1 to 2.5 million FCFA |
| Student and parent portal | Placement schedule, grades, balance due | 0.5 to 2 million FCFA |
A core version (records, placements, fees) lands around 8 million FCFA for 3 to 4 months. The full version with competency logbooks, portal and ministry exports reaches 15 to 18 million FCFA. Hosting and maintenance cost 150,000 to 400,000 FCFA a month.
Health-sector specific pitfalls
Placement supervisors are working nurses and midwives with little time: assessment must take 3 minutes on a smartphone, with no complicated account creation (secure link by SMS). Placement sites have strict quotas per ward, and one hospital often hosts several schools: the software must prevent overbooking. Finally, student data is personal data under Senegal's Law 2008-12: secure hosting, role-based access and declaration to the CDP (data protection authority).
Mini case study
Mrs. Ndiaye runs a private nursing and midwifery institute in Dakar: 900 students, annual fees of 750,000 FCFA, i.e. theoretical revenue of 675 million FCFA. At year end, 16% remains unpaid, i.e. 108 million FCFA, part of which is never recovered.
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She invests 14 million FCFA in software with placements, online logbooks, installment plans and Wave payment. With monthly installments and automatic SMS reminders, year-end unpaid fees drop to 7%, i.e. 47.25 million FCFA. Even if only half of the gap (60.75 million) used to be lost for good, the gain is about 30 million FCFA a year. Add three weeks of work saved for two registry staff each semester. The project pays back in under 6 months.
FAQ
Do hospital supervisors need to install an app?
No. They receive a secure link by SMS or WhatsApp and assess the competency logbook in 3 minutes from their phone. Return rates usually exceed 95%.
Are Wave and Orange Money payments built in?
Yes, the student or parent pays the installment from the portal and the balance updates in real time. Transaction fees are around 1% of the amount.
How long does it take to start?
Allow 3 to 4 months for the core version, ideally live before the October intake. Migrating 900 student files takes 2 to 3 weeks.
Does the software produce the documents the ministry requires?
It exports enrollment lists, transcripts and placement tracking per site in the required format. An extra specific export costs 300,000 to 800,000 FCFA.
Can we manage several tracks and campuses?
Yes, nursing, midwifery, nursing assistant or lab technician tracks, and several campuses, are settings. Adding a second site costs 1 to 2 million FCFA.
Let's scope your project. Share your student numbers, tracks and placement sites: we will price a scope between 8 and 18 million FCFA with go-live before the next intake. Detailed quote within 48 h. 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.
