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Version: Next

Onboard a new school

This guide walks you through the complete school onboarding workflow—from initial planning through workspace provisioning and post-launch configuration. The onboarding wizard captures all essential institutional data in six structured steps, ensuring your school is properly configured from day one.

What this guide covers​

  • Pre-onboarding checklist and required information
  • Six-step wizard walkthrough with all fields and validations
  • Identity, governance, and authority path configuration
  • Contact channels and key personnel assignment
  • Operations, facilities, and program setup
  • Compliance tracking and risk documentation
  • Post-launch setup tasks and setup progress monitoring

Before you start​

Required permissions​

You must have one of the following roles:

  • Super Administrator at the tenant level
  • Oversight Administrator with school creation permissions
  • A custom role with schools.create and schools.manage permissions

Information to gather​

Collect the following before starting the wizard:

InformationDescriptionExample
Official nameLegal name as registered with the MinistryChitungwiza High School
Display nameOptional shorter name for UI displayChitungwiza High
School codeUnique identifier in format ZW-PROVINCE-DISTRICT-###ZW-MH-CHIT-001
Registration numberMinistry-issued registrationMOE/PS/1234
School typePrimary, Secondary, Combined, Special, Technical, VocationalSecondary
CategoryGovernment, Mission, Private, Community, TrustGovernment
OwnershipPublic, Private, Public-Private PartnershipPublic
ProvinceOne of Zimbabwe's 10 provincesHarare Metropolitan
DistrictAdministrative district within provinceChitungwiza
Foundation → Schools → Onboard School

Direct URL pattern: /{tenant}/workspace/foundation/schools/onboard

Step 1: Introduction​

The introduction step provides an overview of the onboarding process and confirms your readiness.

Onboarding checklist​

Before proceeding, verify you have:

  • School identity documents — Registration certificate, official code
  • Contact information — Primary phone number and key personnel details
  • Operational data — Student capacity, enrollment figures, staff counts
  • Governance details — Ownership type, authority path, governance model
  • Compliance records — Inspection dates, ZIMSEC registration (if applicable)

Value propositions​

The wizard highlights what you'll unlock:

CapabilityDescription
Unified school profileAll institutional data in one place
Automatic workspace setupTemplates and configurations applied
Authority hierarchyProper reporting chain established
Compliance trackingRisk and inspection records maintained
Multi-tenant readyProper tenant scoping from day one

Click Begin onboarding to proceed to identity configuration.

Step 2: Identity & governance​

This step captures the school's legal identity, classification, and administrative hierarchy.

Required fields​

FieldValidationDescription
School name3–160 charactersOfficial legal name
School codeFormat: ZW-XX-XXXX-###Unique code following pattern ZW-PROVINCE-DISTRICT-###
School typeSelect from listPrimary, Secondary, Combined, Special, Technical, Vocational
School categorySelect from listGovernment, Mission, Private, Community, Trust, Council, Mine, Farm
Ownership typeSelect from listPublic, Private, Public-Private Partnership
ProvinceSelect from listOne of Zimbabwe's 10 provinces
District2+ charactersAdministrative district name

Optional identity fields​

FieldDescription
Display nameShorter name for UI display
Registration numberMinistry registration (e.g., MOE/PS/1234)
Governance modelMinistry Direct, School Board, Trust Board, Church Governance, NGO Partnership
Autonomy levelLow, Medium, High, Full
Accreditation statusAccredited, Provisional, Under Review, Not Accredited
Operational statusActive, Temporarily Closed, Under Construction, Decommissioned
Religious affiliationIf mission or church-run school
TagsComma-separated labels (e.g., priority, pilot, urban)

Government subsidy​

If the school receives government funding:

  1. Toggle Receives government subsidy to enabled
  2. Enter the Subsidy percentage (0–100%)

This field becomes required when subsidy is enabled.

Authority path​

The authority path establishes the school's position in the administrative hierarchy:

FieldRequiredDescription
ProvinceYesZimbabwe province (Harare, Bulawayo, Manicaland, etc.)
DistrictYesDistrict within the province
WardNoWard number or name
ClusterNoSchool cluster grouping
Parent authorityNoOversight tier (Provincial Education Director, District Schools Inspector, etc.)
School code format

The school code must follow the exact format: ZW-PROVINCE-DISTRICT-###

Examples:

  • ZW-MH-CHIT-001 — Mashonaland, Chitungwiza, school 001
  • ZW-HRE-CBD-012 — Harare, CBD, school 012
  • ZW-BYO-CENT-003 — Bulawayo, Central, school 003

Step 3: Location & contacts​

This step captures communication channels and key personnel.

Communication channels (required)​

FieldValidationExample
Primary phoneValid phone format+263 77 123 4567

Communication channels (optional)​

FieldDescription
Alternate phoneSecondary contact number
EmailOfficial school email
WebsiteSchool website URL

Key contacts​

The system allows you to assign three key roles by searching the Makronexus user directory:

FieldDescription
Directory userSearch and select from Makronexus users
NameAuto-filled from user record (editable)
PhoneAuto-filled from user record (editable)
EmailAuto-filled from user record (editable)
Directory search

Type at least 3 characters to search the user directory. The search matches against name, email, and phone number.

Step 4: Operations & programs​

This step captures operational capacity, facilities, curriculum, and special programs.

Capacity metrics (required for some)​

FieldValidationDescription
Student capacity0–100,000Maximum students the school can accommodate
Current enrollment0–100,000Current number of enrolled students

Capacity metrics (optional)​

FieldDescription
Teacher countNumber of teaching staff
Staff countNumber of support staff
Classroom countNumber of available classrooms

Boarding facilities​

Toggle Boarding available to enable boarding configuration:

FieldDescription
Boarding capacityTotal boarding places available
Boarding notesHostel names, maintenance status, supervision arrangements

Facilities snapshot​

Toggle available facilities:

FacilityDescription
LibrarySchool library available
Science labEquipped science laboratory
Computer labComputer/IT laboratory
Sports groundsSports and athletics facilities
ClinicOn-site medical facility
Dining hallCommunal dining facility
Boarding hostelResidential accommodation
Special needs centerDedicated special needs resources

Mediums of instruction (required)​

Select at least one language of instruction:

  • English
  • Shona
  • Ndebele

Curriculum focus (required)​

Select at least one curriculum:

CurriculumDescription
ZimbabweZimbabwe national curriculum
CambridgeCambridge International (IGCSE, A-Level)
IBInternational Baccalaureate
AmericanAmerican curriculum

Zimbabwe frameworks (optional)​

  • Zimbabwe Curriculum
  • Heritage-Based Education
  • STEM Focus
  • Technical Vocational

Specialist strands (optional)​

  • General
  • Sciences
  • Arts
  • Commercial
  • Technical

Programs & services​

Toggle available programs:

ProgramDescription
Inclusive educationSupport for diverse learning needs
Gifted programAdvanced learning opportunities
Remedial supportAdditional academic support
Vocational trainingSkills-based training programs
Agricultural programAgriculture and farming education
Technical programTechnical/trade education

Step 5: Compliance & risk​

This step captures regulatory compliance status and documentation.

ZIMSEC examination center​

If the school is a registered examination center:

  1. Toggle ZIMSEC examination centre to enabled
  2. Enter the ZIMSEC centre number (e.g., 04705)

Inspection records​

FieldDescription
Last inspection dateDate of most recent inspection (YYYY-MM-DD)
Inspection outcomeSummary of inspection findings
Outstanding issuesCompliance matters requiring resolution
Support needsAssistance required from authorities

Compliance documents​

Track availability of required documents:

DocumentDescription
Registration certificateMinistry registration document
Site planCampus layout and facilities plan
Health certificateHealth and safety certification
Fire clearanceFire safety compliance certificate

Additional notes​

Use the notes field for any additional compliance remarks or context.

Step 6: Review & launch​

The final step presents a comprehensive summary of all entered information organized by section.

Review sections​

The summary displays:

  1. Identity & Governance — Name, code, type, category, ownership, authority path
  2. Location & Contact — Communication channels, key contacts
  3. Operations & Programs — Capacity, facilities, curriculum, programs
  4. Compliance & Risk — ZIMSEC status, inspection history, documentation

Pre-launch checklist​

Review the summary and verify:

  • School name and code are correct
  • Authority path matches administrative hierarchy
  • Contact information is accurate
  • Capacity figures reflect current state
  • Compliance records are up to date

Launch workspace​

Click Launch school workspace to:

  1. Create the school record in the database
  2. Provision the school workspace
  3. Apply default templates and configurations
  4. Queue onboarding tasks for setup progress tracking
  5. Redirect to the Schools directory

Post-launch setup​

After onboarding, complete the operational setup through the Setup Progress tracker.

Setup progress phases​

Navigate to Foundation → Schools → Setup Progress to track:

PhaseTasks
Academic structureCreate academic year, add terms, configure grade levels
Class organizationCreate class divisions, assign streams
Staff setupAdd teachers and staff, assign roles
Student enrollmentAdd students manually or via CSV import
Finance setupConfigure fees, generate invoices (if using finance module)
  1. Create academic year and terms — Create academic year and term guide
  2. Configure grade levels — Set up grade levels for your school type
  3. Create class divisions — Organize students into classes
  4. Add staff and assign roles — Invite teachers and administrators
  5. Enroll students — Add first student guide or Bulk import guide
  6. Set up fees — Fee setup and invoicing guide

Validation rules​

School code format​

The school code must match: ZW-[A-Z]{2,3}-[A-Z]{2,4}-\d{3}

PartDescriptionExample
ZWCountry prefix (Zimbabwe)ZW
Province2-3 letter province codeMH, HRE, BYO
District2-4 letter district codeCHIT, CBD, CENT
Number3-digit sequential number001, 012, 003

Required field validation by step​

StepRequired fields
Identityname, code, schoolType, schoolCategory, ownershipType, province, district
LocationphonePrimary
OperationsstudentCapacity, currentEnrollment, mediumsOfInstruction (≥1), curriculumFocus (≥1)
ComplianceNone (all optional)

Common issues​

Invalid school code format​

Problem: School code rejected by validation

Solution: Ensure code follows exact format:

  • Starts with ZW-
  • Province code is 2-3 uppercase letters
  • District code is 2-4 uppercase letters
  • Ends with 3-digit number
  • All parts separated by hyphens

Missing primary phone​

Problem: Cannot proceed past Location step

Solution: Enter a valid phone number in the Primary phone field (required)

User not found in directory​

Problem: Cannot find user when assigning principal/administrator/bursar

Solution:

  • Type at least 3 characters to trigger search
  • Ensure the user exists in the Makronexus directory
  • Create the user first if they don't exist

Subsidy percentage validation​

Problem: Subsidy percentage error when subsidy is enabled

Solution: When "Receives government subsidy" is enabled, you must enter a percentage value between 0 and 100

Outcome​

After successful onboarding:

  • ✅ School workspace is provisioned and accessible
  • ✅ Institutional data is captured and validated
  • ✅ Authority hierarchy is established
  • ✅ Key contacts are linked to user accounts
  • ✅ Compliance baseline is documented
  • ✅ Setup progress tracker is initialized