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School Administrator Guide

Welcome! As a school administrator, you have complete control over your school's 4SCH system. This comprehensive guide will walk you through setting up and managing all aspects of your school management system.

Who is this guide for?

This guide is specifically for School Administrators who manage the school system through the web-based admin panel. If you're a teacher or staff member, see the Teacher Guide or Staff Guide.

School Admin Dashboard
School Admin Dashboard - Your command center

Quick Navigation​

Initial Setup
First-time configuration
Academic Setup
Sessions, classes, subjects
User Management
Students, teachers, staff
Fee Management
Structure, invoices, payments
Reports & Analytics
Insights and exports
System Settings
Configuration and security

Getting Started​

First Login​

When you first access the admin panel:

  1. Navigate to your school's admin URL (e.g., https://yourschool.4sch.com/admin)
  2. Enter your Admin Email and Password
  3. Click Login
Security Best Practice

Change your default password immediately after first login. Go to Profile → Change Password.

Understanding the Admin Dashboard​

Your dashboard provides a complete overview of your school:

Key Metrics:

  • Total Students - Current enrollment count
  • Total Teachers - Active teaching staff
  • Attendance Today - Real-time attendance percentage
  • Fees Collected - Financial summary for current session

Quick Actions:

  • Add new students or staff
  • Generate reports
  • View pending approvals
  • Access settings

Recent Activity:

  • Latest admissions
  • Fee payments received
  • Announcements posted
  • System updates

Academic Management​

Setting Up Academic Sessions​

Academic sessions represent school years (e.g., 2024-2025).

To create a new session:

  1. Go to Academics → Session Years
  2. Click Add New Session
  3. Fill in:
    • Session Name: e.g., "2024-2025"
    • Start Date: First day of school
    • End Date: Last day of school
    • Default Session: Check if this is the current active session
  4. Click Save
Important

Only one session can be marked as "default" (active). This is the session students and teachers see.

Creating Classes and Sections​

Classes represent grade levels (e.g., Class 10), and sections are divisions within a class (e.g., 10-A, 10-B).

Step 1: Create Classes

  1. Go to Academics → Classes
  2. Click Add New Class
  3. Enter:
    • Class Name: e.g., "Class 10"
    • Medium: Language of instruction (e.g., English)
  4. Click Save

Step 2: Add Sections

  1. Select the class you just created
  2. Click Add Section
  3. Enter:
    • Section Name: e.g., "A", "B", "Science", "Commerce"
    • Capacity: Maximum students (optional)
  4. Click Save

Setting Up Subjects​

Subjects are the courses taught in your school.

To add subjects:

  1. Go to Academics → Subjects
  2. Click Add New Subject
  3. Fill in:
    • Subject Name: e.g., "Mathematics", "English"
    • Subject Code: e.g., "MATH101"
    • Type: Core or Elective
  4. Click Save

Assigning Subjects to Classes:

  1. Go to Academics → Class Subjects
  2. Select a class and section
  3. Choose subjects from the list
  4. Assign teachers to each subject
  5. Click Save

Creating Timetables​

To create a class timetable:

  1. Go to Academics → Timetable
  2. Select Class, Section, and Session
  3. Click Create Timetable
  4. For each day:
    • Add time slots (e.g., 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM)
    • Assign subject and teacher
    • Add room/venue (optional)
  5. Click Save Timetable
Time-Saving Feature

Use the Copy Timetable feature to duplicate a similar class's schedule and modify it.

Managing Exams​

Creating Exam Schedules:

  1. Go to Exams → Exam Types
  2. Add exam types (e.g., Mid-Term, Final, Monthly Test)
  3. Go to Exams → Create Exam
  4. Fill in:
    • Exam Name: e.g., "Mid-Term Exam - Term 1"
    • Session and Class
    • Start Date and End Date
  5. Click Save

Publishing Exam Timetable:

  1. Select the exam
  2. Click Add Timetable
  3. For each subject:
    • Date and Time
    • Duration
    • Total Marks
    • Passing Marks
    • Venue/Room
  4. Click Publish Timetable

User Management​

Adding Students​

Single Student Admission:

  1. Go to Students → Add Student
  2. Fill in Personal Details:
    • First Name, Last Name
    • Date of Birth
    • Gender
    • Photo (optional)
  3. Add Contact Information:
    • Email (if applicable)
    • Mobile Number
    • Current Address
  4. Set Academic Details:
    • Admission Number
    • Class and Section
    • Roll Number
    • Admission Date
  5. Add Guardian/Parent Information:
    • Name, Email, Phone
    • Relationship to student
  6. Click Submit

Bulk Student Import:

  1. Go to Students → Import Students
  2. Download the CSV template
  3. Fill in student details in the template
  4. Upload the completed CSV file
  5. Review and confirm the import
Data Validation

Ensure email addresses and admission numbers are unique. Duplicates will cause import errors.

Managing Teachers​

Adding a Teacher:

  1. Go to Staff → Teachers → Add Teacher
  2. Fill in:
    • Personal Details: Name, DOB, Gender, Photo
    • Contact: Email, Phone, Address
    • Employment Details:
      • Employee ID
      • Joining Date
      • Qualification
      • Designation (e.g., Senior Teacher, HOD)
  3. Assign Subjects:
    • Select classes and subjects they teach
  4. Set Login Credentials:
    • Email (used for login)
    • Generate password
  5. Click Save

Adding Non-Teaching Staff​

Non-teaching staff includes accountants, admission officers, librarians, transport coordinators, etc.

To add staff:

  1. Go to Staff → Non-Teaching Staff → Add Staff
  2. Fill in personal and contact details
  3. Set Role:
    • Accountant
    • Admission Officer
    • Transport Coordinator
    • Librarian
    • Office Clerk
  4. Assign Permissions based on their role
  5. Create login credentials
  6. Click Save

Managing Parents/Guardians​

Parents are automatically created when you add a student. To manage them:

  1. Go to Parents → All Parents
  2. View parent details linked to students
  3. Edit contact information if needed
  4. Reset passwords if parents forget credentials

Fee Management​

Setting Up Fee Structure​

Step 1: Create Fee Types

  1. Go to Fees → Fee Types
  2. Click Add Fee Type
  3. Examples:
    • Tuition Fee
    • Sports Fee
    • Library Fee
    • Lab Fee
    • Transport Fee
    • Exam Fee
  4. For each, set:
    • Name
    • Description
    • Optional or Compulsory

Step 2: Define Fee Structures for Classes

  1. Go to Fees → Fee Structures
  2. Select Class and Session
  3. Add fee types with amounts:
    • Tuition Fee: ₦50,000
    • Sports Fee: ₦5,000
    • Library Fee: ₦3,000
  4. Set Payment Schedule:
    • Full Payment
    • Installments (e.g., 3 installments)
  5. Set Due Dates for each installment
  6. Click Save

Creating Invoices​

Manual Invoice Generation:

  1. Go to Fees → Generate Invoices
  2. Select Class, Section, Session
  3. Choose students (or select all)
  4. The system generates invoices based on fee structure
  5. Click Generate Invoices

Auto-Generated Invoices:

  • Set up automatic invoice generation for new admissions
  • Go to Settings → Fee Settings
  • Enable Auto-Generate Invoices

Recording Payments​

Cash/Offline Payments:

  1. Go to Fees → Record Payment
  2. Search for student
  3. View outstanding balance
  4. Enter:
    • Amount Paid
    • Payment Date
    • Payment Method: Cash, Cheque, Bank Transfer
    • Receipt Number
    • Notes (optional)
  5. Click Record Payment
  6. Print receipt for parent

Online Payments:

Online payments through payment gateways are recorded automatically. You can:

  • View transaction details
  • Download payment receipts
  • Reconcile with bank statements

Payment Gateway Setup​

To enable online fee payments:

  1. Go to Settings → Payment Gateway
  2. Choose your provider:
    • Paystack
    • Flutterwave
    • Stripe
    • RazorPay
  3. Enter your API Keys:
    • Public Key
    • Secret Key
  4. Set Payment Settings:
    • Minimum amount
    • Convenience fee (if applicable)
  5. Test the connection
  6. Enable the gateway

Fee Reports​

Generate comprehensive fee reports:

  1. Go to Fees → Reports
  2. Choose report type:
    • Fee Collection Report: Total collected vs pending
    • Class-wise Collection: Collection by class
    • Defaulters Report: Students with pending fees
    • Payment Method Report: Cash vs online
  3. Select date range
  4. Export as PDF or Excel

Reports & Analytics​

Student Reports​

Attendance Reports:

  1. Go to Reports → Attendance
  2. Filter by:
    • Class/Section
    • Date range
    • Student
  3. View statistics:
    • Total present/absent days
    • Attendance percentage
    • Monthly trends
  4. Export report

Academic Performance Reports:

  1. Go to Reports → Exam Results
  2. Select exam and class
  3. View:
    • Subject-wise performance
    • Class average
    • Top performers
    • Students needing attention
  4. Generate report cards

Financial Reports​

Fee Collection Summary:

  • Total fees due
  • Amount collected
  • Pending amount
  • Collection rate

Income vs Expense:

  • Track school revenue
  • Monitor expenses
  • View profit/loss
  • Monthly comparisons

Staff Reports​

Teacher Performance:

  • Classes taught
  • Attendance marking
  • Assignment grading rate
  • Student feedback

Leave Reports:

  • Leave applications
  • Approved/rejected
  • Leave balance
  • Attendance record

System Settings​

School Profile​

Update your school's information:

  1. Go to Settings → School Profile
  2. Edit:
    • School Name
    • Logo (upload image)
    • Address
    • Contact Numbers
    • Email
    • Website
    • School Code
  3. Click Save

Role & Permissions​

Define what each user role can access:

  1. Go to Settings → Roles & Permissions
  2. Select a role (e.g., Teacher, Accountant)
  3. Enable/disable permissions:
    • View students
    • Edit students
    • View fees
    • Collect fees
    • Generate reports
  4. Click Save

Notification Settings​

Configure system notifications:

  1. Go to Settings → Notifications
  2. Set up:
    • Email Notifications: Announcements, fee reminders
    • SMS Notifications: Attendance alerts, exam notices
    • Push Notifications: Mobile app alerts
  3. Configure notification templates
  4. Set frequency and triggers

Backup & Data Management​

Database Backups:

  1. Go to Settings → Database Backup
  2. Options:
    • Manual Backup: Create backup now
    • Scheduled Backups: Daily, weekly, monthly
  3. Download backup files
  4. Store securely

Data Import/Export:

  1. Go to Settings → Data Management
  2. Export data:
    • Student records
    • Fee data
    • Attendance logs
  3. Import data from other systems
  4. Use CSV templates

Communication & Announcements​

Posting Announcements​

School-Wide Announcements:

  1. Go to Communication → Announcements
  2. Click Create Announcement
  3. Fill in:
    • Title: e.g., "PTA Meeting Notice"
    • Message: Full details
    • Target Audience:
      • All Users
      • Parents Only
      • Specific Classes
    • Attachments (if any)
    • Send Notifications: Email/SMS/Push
  4. Click Publish

Messaging System​

Send Messages to Parents/Teachers:

  1. Go to Communication → Messages
  2. Compose new message
  3. Select recipients:
    • Individual users
    • Entire class
    • All parents
  4. Type message
  5. Send immediately or schedule

Transportation Management​

Setting Up Routes​

  1. Go to Transportation → Routes
  2. Click Add Route
  3. Enter:
    • Route Name: e.g., "Route A - Downtown"
    • Pickup Points: Add stops with timings
    • Vehicle Assignment
    • Driver & Helper Details
  4. Click Save

Managing Transport Fees​

  1. Go to Transportation → Fees
  2. Set fees per route
  3. Link to student fee structure
  4. Generate transport invoices

Live Tracking​

Monitor school buses in real-time:

  1. Go to Transportation → Live Tracking
  2. View all active buses on map
  3. Check route progress
  4. Send alerts to drivers

Holidays & Events​

Adding Holidays​

  1. Go to Academics → Holidays
  2. Click Add Holiday
  3. Enter:
    • Holiday Name: e.g., "Independence Day"
    • Date
    • Description
  4. Click Save

Holidays appear on calendars for students and teachers.

School Calendar​

Manage all school events:

  1. Go to Academics → Calendar
  2. Add events:
    • Exams
    • Holidays
    • Sports Day
    • PTA Meetings
  3. Events sync to mobile apps

Share school photos and videos:

  1. Go to Gallery → Manage Gallery
  2. Create albums by:
    • Session Year
    • Event Type (Sports Day, Annual Function)
  3. Upload photos/videos
  4. Publish for viewing by parents and students

Leave Management​

Approving Staff Leave​

  1. Go to Staff → Leave Requests
  2. View pending requests
  3. Check:
    • Leave type (Sick, Casual, Earned)
    • Duration
    • Reason
    • Leave balance
  4. Approve or Reject with comments

Tips for School Administrators​

Daily Tasks Checklist​

Every Morning:

  • ✅ Check dashboard for key metrics
  • ✅ Review pending approvals (leave, admissions)
  • ✅ Monitor attendance reports
  • ✅ Check system notifications

Weekly Tasks:

  • ✅ Review fee collection status
  • ✅ Generate weekly reports
  • ✅ Check staff attendance
  • ✅ Post announcements for upcoming events

Monthly Tasks:

  • ✅ Generate monthly financial reports
  • ✅ Review academic performance
  • ✅ Back up database
  • ✅ Plan next month's activities

Best Practices​

Security:

  • Change default passwords immediately
  • Use strong passwords (min 12 characters)
  • Enable two-factor authentication
  • Regularly review user permissions
  • Log out when leaving your workstation

Data Management:

  • Perform weekly database backups
  • Verify data before bulk imports
  • Keep records organized by session
  • Archive old session data

Communication:

  • Send important notices via multiple channels
  • Use templates for routine communications
  • Schedule announcements in advance
  • Keep parents informed regularly

Financial Management:

  • Reconcile fees daily
  • Follow up on pending payments promptly
  • Generate fee receipts immediately
  • Keep digital copies of all transactions

Tool call argument 'replace' pruned from message history.

Can't Log In​

Solution:

  1. Verify you're using the correct admin URL
  2. Check email and password (case-sensitive)
  3. Clear browser cache and cookies
  4. Try password reset
  5. Contact technical support if issue persists

Students Not Seeing Assignments​

Check:

  • Assignment is published (not in draft)
  • Correct class/section is selected
  • Student is enrolled in the class
  • Assignment date range is valid

Payment Gateway Not Working​

Verify:

  • API keys are correct
  • Gateway is enabled in settings
  • Test mode is disabled (for live payments)
  • Firewall isn't blocking requests
  • Contact payment provider support

Reports Not Generating​

Try:

  • Reduce date range
  • Check if data exists for selected filters
  • Clear browser cache
  • Try different export format
  • Contact support with error message

Getting Help​

Support Resources​

Training for Your Team​

Consider scheduling training sessions for:

  • New administrators
  • Teachers using grading features
  • Accountants using fee management
  • Admission officers

Next Steps​

Now that you've set up your system:

  1. Train your teachers on using their features
  2. Guide parents on accessing the parent portal
  3. Help students understand the student app
  4. Import existing data if migrating from another system
tip

Bookmark this guide and refer back to it as you explore different features of the system!