Schools
School SMS in Malawi: reach every parent by text
Letters get lost in school bags and not every parent is in the WhatsApp group. A text from your school name reaches any phone, and the class list you already keep in Excel is enough to start.
Messages parents act on
Dear parent, Chisomo's term 2 fee balance is MWK 45,000, due by Friday 14 Feb. Pay at the bursar's office. Thank you.
School closes on Thursday 3 Apr at 12 noon. Learners return on Monday 28 Apr. Please arrange transport.
Moni. Parents meeting on Saturday at 9 am in the school hall. Please attend. Zikomo.
Set it up in an afternoon
- Put your class lists in Excel, with one row per parent: phone number, parent name, learner name, class and fee balance.
- Upload the file. The dashboard reads the columns, cleans the numbers and shows you any row it cannot use. The Excel guide covers the common problems.
- Save each class as a contact group, so a Form 2 notice only goes to Form 2 parents.
- Request a sender ID with your school's name, so parents know the text is real.
- Write the message, schedule it for a time parents will see it, and check the cost before it goes.
A simple school year of SMS
| When | What to send |
|---|---|
| Before term opens | Opening date, fees due, what to bring |
| During term | Parents meetings, sports days, closures after bad weather |
| Exam time | Timetable reminders, MANEB dates, exam fees |
| End of term | Closing date, report collection, next term fees |
Handle children's details with care
A text can be read by anyone holding the phone. Keep it to what the parent needs: a first name and a balance are usually enough. Do not put marks, health details or discipline matters in an SMS. Ask the parent to call or come in instead. Keep your contact list on one trusted computer, not on shared drives.
Questions
Do parents need a smartphone or an app?
No. A text reaches any mobile phone, including basic phones, with no data bundle and nothing to install.
Can each parent see their own child's balance?
Yes. Add a column such as fee_balance to your Excel file and put that field in the message. Each parent gets their own amount from one upload.
Can we message one class only?
Yes. Save each class or form as a contact group, then send to one group or several.
What does it cost a school?
K20 per SMS part. A one-part message to the parents of 400 pupils costs K8,000, and you only pay for what you send from your prepaid balance.
Keep reading
Set up your school
Create an account, upload one class list and send a test notice.