Set a school default, then respect individual preferences
Choose English or French as the school’s default dashboard language. Individual users should be able to choose their own display language without changing everyone else’s interface.
Keep school-authored records in their original language
Announcements, messages, academic records, and other content created by the school should stay as written. A bilingual interface should help people operate the system, not silently alter the school’s record.
Standardise the workflow, not the language of people
The same approval, collection, attendance, and reporting processes can work across language preferences. Define ownership, dates, and payment rules clearly, then let every role work in the interface language it understands.
Review the French experience with local educators
Generic French is a practical beginning, not the final word. Ask educators and administrators in Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal to review key terms, onboarding materials, and support responses as the pilot grows.