Service Cops, a Ugandan technology company with a presence in the Great African Lakes region has today announced major upgrades to its SchoolPay solution, introducing SchoolPay ERP.
The new SchoolPay ERP boasts several new features such as a multi-user dashboard, payments reconciliation, fees payments plans interface, accounting and finance module, procurement, a parents portal, an integrated e-learning platform, an SMS gateway for communicating with stakeholders as well as a staff & payroll management and exams, grading and report card interface, all of which make it easier than ever for school owners and administrators to smoothly manage their educational enterprises in a few clicks.
With the new features and value-added services, SchoolPay ERP helps streamline administrative tasks thus saving time and resources. It also greatly improves financial record-keeping accuracy, enabling administrators to make informed financial decisions,” Mathias Kamugasho, the Service Cops Managing Director explains.
“The staff management feature enables administrators to evaluate and enhance teacher performance for continuous staff improvement. The platform also enables a streamlined grading process with report card generation thus reducing the potential for errors. Administrators also enjoy the efficiency of sending quick alerts during emergencies or unforeseen events, ensuring the safety of students,” he added.
“SchoolPay ERP offers one central digital place to manage your school. From a comprehensive student information management system to a real-time transaction view, as payments are made as well as real-time reconciliation between students, banks and schools, it eliminates the need to maintain multiple school collection accounts with payment providers. It has a powerful inbuilt reporting and business intelligence module,” Patrick Muhumuza, the Head of Operations, at SchoolPay adds.
Explaining the benefits for parents, Patrick Muhumuza, the Head of Operations, at SchoolPay says that the platform amongst other benefits, facilitates secure online payments, at several partner payment channels; including banks and mobile, eliminating the hassle of physical transactions.
“Parents are also able to receive instant updates on school events, emergencies, and important announcements with bulk SMS. Parents can monitor outstanding fees, and transaction history using their mobile phones, allowing them to adhere to percentage locks for fee payment. They can also receive immediate feedback on their child’s performance in online tests and exams, online, wherever they are in the world,” Muhumuza said.
Further upgrades are on the way that will see the introduction of new value-added features such as a student pocket money management interface, school fees digital loans, school fees savings, school fees insurance, and shopping.
How Schools Can Join SchoolPayERP
To join SchoolPay ERP, schools have to open an account with one of SchoolPay’s partner banks. Upon opening the account, schools then have to prepare a student data sheet with the students’ biodata, class and contact details. They will also have to provide Detailed School Information, such as location, School badge/logo as well as phone and email contacts.
All the above data should compiled and sent to support@schoolpay.co.ug or schools can contact the support team on 0200502140. The SchoolPay support team will promptly respond to guide the school administration through the next physical steps as well as provide the necessary training where needed.
About SchoolPay ERP
Premiered in 2016 with just one school, SchoolPay has since grown to serve nearly 12,000 schools and over 5.2 million students in Uganda alone, with over 20 partners that include banks, telecoms and other non-bank fintechs. SchoolPay service can now be accessed through over 33 payments touchpoints.
The payment channels include:
- MTN MOMO/ Airtel Money: Using any registered mobile phone, users dial *165*4*3*2# for MTN MoMo or *185*6*2# for Airtel Money, and then enter the student code and follow the prompts. Parents are advised to confirm the School and Student details before authorising payment with their mobile money PIN.
- SchoolPay App: Download the SchoolPay Uganda App from Google Play or App Store and follow the prompts to pay.
- SchoolPay Website: Visit https://schoopay.co.ug, select pay school fees and follow the prompts.
- WhatsApp Chatbot: Send a Hi to +256 773 676 857 and a menu will pop up that guides users on how to pay.
- Agency Banking/Banking Hall: Depending on the school’s banker, parents/guardians can walk to any agent or branch outlet of their school’s bank and simply present the student code and the amount to pay.
- Mobile Banking: Where applicable, parents/guardians with bank accounts within the same bank as their school may pay school fees using funds in their account via the respective bank’s mobile wallet option or through the bank’s mobile banking App.
- Others include PayWay and Interswitch platforms.
To monitor payments, school administrators are provided access to a free web portal/dashboard to have a real-time aggregated view of all payments made from various channels. The portal also helps to register new students and manage existing ones, print receipts, set school fees bills, and block or allow part payments.
SchoolPay ERP can be used by educational institutions at all levels; from daycare centres, all the way to Universities in both rural and urban settings. Service Cops is ISO 9001:2015 and ISO/ICE 27001:2013 certified for Quality and Information Security Management as per international standards.
