School management software in Ghana: a buyer’s guideSchool management software in Ghana: a buyer’s guide

A school management system keeps a school’s records in one place: learners and parents, classes and timetables, attendance, results and report cards, fees and payments, staff and payroll. Instead of registers, receipt books and Excel files that never agree, everyone works from the same records, from the office to the classroom to the parent’s phone.

Most school software is built for schools in Europe, America or India. A Ghanaian school needs something that fits how schools here actually run. This guide sets out what to look for.

1. Built for Ghana, not adapted to it

• NaCCA grading. Report cards should use the NaCCA proficiency levels (HP, P, AP, D, E) with the class score and exam score split your school uses, usually 30% and 70%. Older WAEC-style letter grades should still be available for schools that print them.
• Mobile Money. Most parents pay with MTN MoMo, Telecel Cash or AirtelTigo Money. Paying fees should be as simple as approving a prompt on the phone.
• GRA and SSNIT. Payroll should work out PAYE and SSNIT (5.5% from the staff member, 13% from the school) and produce the monthly returns.
• Ghana Cedis, Ghana phone numbers, Ghanaian terms. Basic 1 to JHS 3, terms, PTA, BECE: the words your staff already use.

2. Phones first

Teachers mark registers and enter marks on their own phones. Parents follow their children on theirs. If a system only works well on a desktop computer in the office, most of your staff and parents will never use it. Ask to see it on an ordinary Android phone.

3. Parents in the loop

The biggest difference a system makes is to parents: seeing attendance the same day, results when the school releases them, homework and fees owed, and getting texts from the school. Check what parents get, and whether it works for a parent with several children, or children in different schools.

4. Money that goes straight to the school

When parents pay online, the money should settle into the school’s own bank or MoMo account, not sit with the software company. Ask who holds the money, how long it takes to arrive, and what the parent pays on top.

5. Your records stay yours

• Each school’s records should be kept apart from every other school’s.
• Staff should see only what their job needs: a teacher their classes, a bursar the money.
• You should be able to download your records to Excel at any time.

6. What it really costs

Pricing comes in a few shapes: a fee per learner per term, a yearly licence, a set-up fee, or free for the school with a small charge on online payments. Add up the whole cost for a year, including SMS, training and anything charged per module, before comparing.

Questions to ask every vendor

1. Can I see a report card for one of my classes, worked out the NaCCA way?
2. How does a parent pay fees by MoMo, step by step?
3. Where does the money go, and when does it arrive?
4. What do teachers and parents use: an app, a website, or both?
5. Who can see what, and can I control it for each staff member?
6. How do we move our learners, parents and balances in from Excel?
7. What does it cost in total for a year, for a school our size?

Where Fusadems fits

Fusadems is school management software made in Ghana. It covers admissions, attendance, results and NaCCA report cards, fees with MoMo and card payments, payroll with GRA and SSNIT, a parent app, a teacher portal, a student portal, a school website and more. It is free for schools; parents pay 1% when they pay online. See everything it does or read the pricing.

Questions schools ask