> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://support.lena.africa/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Platform Overview
> Understand how the Lena platform works — the four apps, school types, user roles, and how everything connects.
Lena is an education platform designed for schools across Africa. It connects
students, teachers, and school administrators through a set of purpose-built
apps that work together seamlessly.
***
## The four apps
Available on mobile and web. Students use this app to access courses,
view study materials, submit assignments, take quizzes, participate in
discussions, and track their grades.
Available on mobile (iOS and Android) and web. Teachers create and
manage courses, upload materials, build assignments and quizzes, grade
student work, and communicate with students.
Web-based dashboard for school administrators. Manage your school's
structure, add students and teachers, create courses, configure academic
sessions, and oversee CBT exams.
A dedicated web app for Computer-Based Testing. Students take secure,
timed exams in a controlled browser environment with features like
fullscreen mode and tab-switch detection.
All four apps share the same Lena account. Sign up once, and you can log in
to any app with the same credentials.
***
## School types
When a school is created on Lena, the administrator chooses one of three school
types. This determines the academic structure available:
K-12 schools use a **grades and arms** structure:
* **Grades** represent class levels (e.g., JSS 1, JSS 2, SS 1, SS 2, Primary 1)
* **Arms** are subdivisions within a grade (e.g., Arm A, Arm B, Science Arm, Arts Arm)
* **Terms** divide the academic year (e.g., First Term, Second Term, Third Term)
Students are assigned to a specific grade and arm. Teachers create courses and assign them to grades.
Universities use a **faculties and departments** structure:
* **Faculties** are broad academic divisions (e.g., Faculty of Science, Faculty of Arts)
* **Departments** sit within faculties (e.g., Computer Science, Mathematics, English)
* **Levels** indicate a student's year of study (e.g., 100 Level, 200 Level)
* **Semesters** divide the academic year (e.g., First Semester, Second Semester)
Students have a faculty, department, level, and matriculation number. Teachers (called "Lecturers" in this context) create courses within their departments.
The "Other" school type is a flexible option for non-traditional institutions — training centers, coaching academies, online schools, and similar organizations. It provides a simplified structure without the rigid grade/faculty hierarchy.
The school type is set during school creation and cannot be changed
afterward.
***
## User roles
Every Lena user has a **role** within each school they belong to. You can have
different roles at different schools.
### Students
Students join courses using entry codes, access study materials, submit
assignments, take quizzes and CBT exams, participate in discussions, and track
their grades.
### Teachers
Teachers create and manage courses, upload study materials, build assignments
and quizzes, grade student work, post announcements, create discussion threads,
and manage CBT exams.
Teacher sub-roles include: | Sub-role | Description | |----------|-------------|
\| **Teacher** | Standard teacher role (K-12 context) | | **Lecturer** | Standard
teacher role (university context) | | **Assistant** | Assists with course
management | | **Student Assistant** | A student who helps manage a course |
### School Admins
School administrators manage the institution itself. They have access to the
School Admin app at [school.lena.africa](https://school.lena.africa).
Admin sub-roles include: | Sub-role | Permissions | |----------|-------------| |
**Super Admin** | Full access to all school operations | | **Academic Admin** |
Academic structure, courses, and user management | | **Non-Academic Admin** |
Non-academic operations |
***
## How it all connects
Here's how the different parts of Lena work together:
1. A **School Admin** creates a school, sets up the academic structure (grades
or faculties), and adds users
2. A **Teacher** creates courses within the school and shares entry codes with
students
3. **Students** join courses using entry codes and access all the learning
content
4. When it's exam time, teachers create **CBT exams** that students take through
the dedicated CBT app
5. Everyone can track progress through **grades**, which are automatically
calculated based on assignment and quiz scores
***
## Multi-school support
Lena supports belonging to multiple schools with a single account. For example,
a teacher could teach at two different schools, or a student could be enrolled
at a school and a coaching center simultaneously.
Each school you belong to has its own **school profile** with role-specific
information. You can switch between school profiles at any time. Learn more in
[School Profiles](/general/school-profiles).
***
## Get started
Ready to begin? [Create your account](/general/creating-your-account) or jump to
the [Quick Start Guide](/quickstart) for a 5-minute setup.
***
## Related guides
* [Glossary](/general/glossary) — definitions of all key terms used across Lena