The verdict in three sentences
A Senegalese private school still running enrolments and payments on paper loses time and money every term. School software at 5,000,000-14,000,000 FCFA, or 10,000,000-22,000,000 FCFA with a parent portal and mobile payment, digitizes enrolment, fees and report cards. The double effect: +20% collection and an office finally clear of queues.
The 2026 price tiers in FCFA
Price mainly depends on whether there is a parent portal and mobile payment integration, which transform both experience and cash flow.
| Tier | 2026 range (FCFA) | Content |
|---|---|---|
| Administration only | 5,000,000-9,000,000 | Enrolment, grades, report cards, admin |
| Admin + billing | 8,000,000-14,000,000 | Fees, schedules, unpaid tracking |
| + Parent portal | 12,000,000-18,000,000 | Grades/absences access, SMS, messaging |
| + Mobile payment | 16,000,000-22,000,000 | Wave, Orange Money, auto reconciliation |
| Annual maintenance | 800,000-2,000,000/year | Support, updates, hosting |
Mobile payment is the real differentiator in Senegal: collecting fees via Wave or Orange Money avoids queues and hardens tracking.
What Wave/OM payment changes on unpaid fees
| Indicator | Before (paper/cash) | After (Wave/OM) |
|---|---|---|
| Collection delay | 2-6 weeks | Immediate |
| Unpaid rate | 18-25% | 8-12% |
| Reconciliation time | 3-4 days/month | Automatic |
| Receipts issued | Manual | Digital auto |
| Reminders | Manual phone | Automatic SMS |
| Cash visibility | Monthly | Real time |
Automatic reconciliation eliminates cash errors and gives management real-time visibility on collections.
Mini case study
Mr Diallo, head of a 900-student private school in Dakar (Sacré-Cœur). Annual tuition is 270,000,000 FCFA, with a 22% unpaid rate, i.e. ~59,000,000 FCFA uncollected. Software with a parent portal and Wave/OM payment at 18,000,000 FCFA cuts unpaid fees to 10%, recovering ~32,000,000 FCFA in year one. Meanwhile, the office saves 6 days/month of data entry and reminders. Payback: under 8 months.
FAQ
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Can tuition fees be collected via Wave and Orange Money?
Yes. Native Wave/OM integration lets parents pay from their phone, with an automatic digital receipt. Budget 4,000,000-6,000,000 FCFA for this module, often paid back in one term.
Does the software work on a 3G connection?
Yes, if built offline-first and optimized for mobile networks. This is essential in Senegal: light pages, deferred sync and low data usage.
How do parents receive report cards?
Through the parent portal and via SMS notification. Digital report cards are generated automatically as PDF, viewable and downloadable, with no printing or manual distribution.
How long to digitize a school already mid-year?
Allow 2-4 months. We start with enrolment and billing, then add the parent portal and mobile payment before the next term.
What is the recurring cost after setup?
Between 800,000 and 2,000,000 FCFA/year for hosting, support and updates. A modest line item against the collection gains.
Let's scope your project. Give us your headcount, tuition amount and unpaid rate, and we'll price the right Wave/OM solution. 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.