Educator builds home-grown system to digitise school admin

Rhodes Private School managing director Laurentius Haindaka has developed a locally tailored school management system to streamline administration, teaching and communication with parents.The School Information and Data System (SIDS) digitises student records, attendance, report cards and parent communication. It saves teachers time, supports learning, improves communication with parents and reduces spending on paper, printing and toner.Haindaka, who holds a national diploma in power engineering from the Namibia University of Science and Technology, said he got the idea while serving as acting principal, after seeing teachers and administrators spend hours recording grades, printing reports and chasing parents for fees.“I wanted to develop a system that truly understands the challenges faced by Namibian schools, as I have experienced them myself,” he explained.Haindaka began building the system in August 2025 with a software developer. He described it as a dynamic system that evolves with each school that adopts it and every suggestion from principals, teachers and parents.“Innovation doesn’t require omniscience, but a deep understanding of the problems at hand,” he said.Streamlining educationRhodes Private School in the Oshikoto region was the testing ground.Following successful trials, the system is now being used at Rhodes, St Boniface College in Kavango East, Heroes Private School, Oshikoto Private School and Friendly Private School.Unlike many systems imported from South Africa, SIDS is designed to fit the Namibian curriculum and the operating realities of local schools, Haindaka said.“The system should support the way our schools function, not the other way around,” he said.For students, SIDS provides a digital platform for studying, completing homework and accessing lesson materials.Each lesson plan includes comprehensive notes, and the system features an AI tutor that helps students grasp concepts at their own pace rather than simply providing answers to memorise.Parents can follow classroom activity through the platform. Teachers’ feedback on pupils’ behaviour reaches parents in real time by email and on the platform.Parents can also submit concerns, pay fees through an integrated Bank Windhoek payment gateway, view test results and access digital report cards without visiting the school.Haindaka said parents can see only information about their own child, and teachers’ access is limited to their roles.SIDS also stamps and signs report cards automatically, removing a manual task for principals.Feedback thus far has been very positive, Haindaka said. Parents appreciate the convenience, and principals value the reduction in paperwork, with every user contributing to enhancements for future updates.“Every school that joins and provides feedback is helping to make SIDS better. It’s no longer just our initiative,” Haindaka said.Government support neededGetting government endorsement has been his main challenge so far.While some private schools have embraced the system, state schools are cautious without formal guidance from the education ministry.Haindaka said the Office of the Prime Minister has expressed interest in hosting SIDS on its servers to boost data privacy, pending endorsement from the education ministry.“We have received interest from several government schools, but there’s uncertainty about adopting the system without official backing,” he added.Haindaka said he has yet to secure an opportunity to formally present the system to government.However, he is optimistic following the registration of two government schools on SIDS at the recent education ministry AI and ICT summit.For now, he is seeking financial support to develop the system further and an opportunity to show what it can do.“We are not asking the ministry to endorse something without understanding it,” he said.“We simply seek a chance to demonstrate what we have created. Our goal is to build a system that benefits not just Rhodes Private School but the entire Namibian educational sector,” he added.Local innovation to improve educationSIDS is free for now, but Haindaka said a subscription of N$1 000 per month per school is planned from 2027.The platform is web-based and works on any device. Haindaka said a mobile app is planned, but funding is a challenge, and an application to the National Youth Fund submitted in February is still awaiting a response.Haindaka's aspirations extend beyond improving administrative efficiency.Following discussions with the Ohangwena Regional Council and the Office of the Prime Minister, he has incorporated a placement feature to address the annual challenges faced during Grade 10 and 11 placements, simplifying the management of applications and available spaces to reduce the long lines at school gates during admissions.Early next year, he plans to embark on a nationwide tour to introduce SIDS to schools in both urban and rural areas.In five years, Haindaka said, he wants SIDS to connect schools across Namibia and give authorities better data for planning.“Namibia has the potential to develop its own technological solutions. I want SIDS to be an example of what young Namibians can achieve when given the opportunity,” he said.

Educator builds home-grown system to digitise school admin

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Namibian Sun 2026-10-28

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Educator builds home-grown system to digitise school admin

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Namibian Sun 2026-10-28

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