Quick School System Price Guide
- Basic School System: KSh 300,000 - 800,000
- Advanced School ERP: KSh 1,000,000 - 3,000,000
- Multi-Campus Platform: KSh 3,000,000 - 5,000,000+
- SaaS Alternative: KSh 200 - 500 per student per term
- M-Pesa Fee Collection Module: KSh 50,000 - 150,000
Kenya has over 90,000 schools, and the shift to CBC (Competency-Based Curriculum) is forcing even the most traditional schools to digitize. If you're a school owner, director, or administrator looking to build or buy a school management system, here's what you need to know about costs in 2025.
Basic School Management System
Core School Management System
KSh 300,000 - 800,000
Best for: Single-campus primary or secondary schools (up to 1,000 students)
- Student enrollment and registration
- Student records and profiles (photo, parent info, medical)
- Fee management with M-Pesa collection (Paybill/STK Push)
- Automatic fee balance tracking and receipting
- CBC and 8-4-4 exam grading engine
- Report card generation (printable PDF)
- SMS notifications to parents (fee reminders, results)
- Teacher management and class assignment
- Basic timetable management
- Admin dashboard with key metrics
Timeline: 6-10 weeks
This is the sweet spot for most Kenyan schools. You get the core functionality that eliminates manual record-keeping, automates fee collection, and gives parents visibility into their children's performance.
Advanced School ERP Platform
Full School ERP System
KSh 1,000,000 - 3,000,000
Best for: Large schools, academies, and school groups (1,000-5,000 students)
- Everything in Basic, plus:
- Online learning portal (assignments, notes, video lessons)
- Parent portal with login (view results, fee statements, attendance)
- Student portal (assignments, timetable, library)
- Online exam creation and auto-marking (MCQ)
- Library management system
- Transport management (route tracking, bus assignment)
- Hostel/boarding management
- Payroll for teachers and staff
- Accounting integration (income, expenses, reports)
- WhatsApp notifications (via API)
- Mobile app for parents (Android + iOS)
Timeline: 3-5 months
For the parent mobile app component, see our mobile app development pricing guide for detailed costs.
Module-by-Module Cost Breakdown
| Module | Cost Range (KSh) | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Student Registration & Records | 80,000 - 200,000 | 2-3 weeks |
| Fee Management + M-Pesa | 100,000 - 250,000 | 2-4 weeks |
| Exam & Grading (CBC + 8-4-4) | 80,000 - 200,000 | 2-3 weeks |
| Report Card Generator | 50,000 - 120,000 | 1-2 weeks |
| SMS/WhatsApp Notifications | 30,000 - 80,000 | 1 week |
| Parent Portal (Web) | 100,000 - 250,000 | 2-4 weeks |
| Online Learning Module | 200,000 - 500,000 | 4-8 weeks |
| Parent Mobile App | 300,000 - 800,000 | 6-10 weeks |
| Transport Management | 80,000 - 200,000 | 2-3 weeks |
| Payroll Module | 100,000 - 250,000 | 2-3 weeks |
Build vs Buy: Custom vs SaaS
| Factor | Custom Built | SaaS (e.g., Zeraki, SchoolTool) |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront Cost | KSh 300K - 3M+ | KSh 0 (subscription) |
| Ongoing Cost | KSh 50K-150K/year maintenance | KSh 200-500/student/term |
| 5-Year Cost (500 students) | KSh 800K - 1.5M total | KSh 1.5M - 3.75M total |
| Customization | Unlimited — your requirements exactly | Limited to platform features |
| Data Ownership | 100% yours | On vendor's servers |
| M-Pesa Integration | Full control (your Paybill) | Through vendor (may take a cut) |
For schools with 500+ students, custom development is usually cheaper over 3-5 years. You also own the system and can add features as you grow. Read our custom vs off-the-shelf comparison for a deeper analysis.
CBC Compliance: What Your System Needs
The transition to CBC means your school management system must handle:
- Strand-based grading: Not traditional percentage marks, but competency levels (Exceeding, Meeting, Approaching, Below)
- Formative assessments: Continuous assessment records, not just end-of-term exams
- Portfolio tracking: Student work samples, projects, and activities
- Learning area reporting: Individual reporting per strand/sub-strand
- Transition to 8-4-4: Support for students still in the old system during transition
A CBC-compliant grading module typically costs KSh 80,000-200,000 as part of the system, or KSh 30,000-50,000 as an add-on to an existing system.
- Server hosting: KSh 10,000-30,000/year (cloud) or on-premise server KSh 80,000-200,000 one-time
- SMS costs: KSh 0.50-1.50 per SMS (budget KSh 5,000-15,000/term for 500 students)
- Training: KSh 20,000-50,000 for staff training sessions
- Annual updates: KSh 50,000-150,000 for CBC policy changes, security patches
Frequently Asked Questions
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