Adopt safer ways of paying school fees

Fatumah Nalwanga was on the road by 6am the morning schools were reopening for second term.

She was sure she would be among the first people at the bank in Kireka, Wakiso District and therefore, beat the long queue that characterises back-to-school days.
But Nalwanga did not make it to the bank because a thief snatched her bag before she could get to the taxi stage in Bweyogerere.

Nalwanga wanted to divide the Shs800,000 that was stolen and pay Shs400,000 as half school fees payment for each of her two sons.

Distraught, she had to send her children to school without school fees. Cases of theft of school fees are common.

As such, banks, schools and mobile telecom companies are devising ways in which parents can ensure they transfer their children’s fees in safe means.

Do not be too trusting
Some parents fear bank queues and opt to entrust teachers with their children’s school fees. Immaculate Lwanga, the deputy head teacher of St Peters Nsambya, says this is risky. According to her, some teachers are not disciplined so giving them cash may drive them to misappropriating it.

“We cannot allow money in form of cash in school; many teachers and students have been found culpable in mishandling the school fees,” says Lwanga.

And entrusting fees with the students may be risky too as they find themselves tempted to spend it. Last year, Lwanga says, a parent confessed to her that his son had missed exams because he had not handed in the money he had been given as school fees.

“He tells me he lost the money but I do not believe him neither do I know where he put it. I am finding it difficult to entrust him with school fees again yet my busy schedule cannot allow me go to the bank to queue up,” said Timothy Tabule, a parent.

Mobile money transfers
Some schools such as St Peter’s Nsambya have introduced a mobile money transfer plan for the students. Mobile numbers are given to the parents to have the fees directly deposited to the school’s bank account.

“We get in touch with a bank and they do the technical work of ensuring everyone has a number. All we do is to avail them with the class lists such that they can tag every child to a mobile number,” says Lwanga adding. “In case a parent shows up at school with cash, we give them a mobile number on which they can make deposits. That money goes direct to the school’s bank account.”

Standing orders
Brenda Nerima, a banker with Finance Trust Bank, says parents can also try the standing order option in banks which is continental and user friendly in terms of saving time and money.

“The customer signs documents such that an appropriate amount of money is deducted from their account and deposited to the school’s account. This plan can be stopped as soon as the parent has paid the full school fees for that term,” she says adding that parents do not have to come to the bank to see this work.

Gertrude Nasanga, a parent, uses standing orders to transfer her child’s fees as well as premium for insurance of her child’s education. “The bank will deduct those monies for five years. I feared that the standing order plan would be hectic but now I have realised how important and convenient it is,” she says.

Avoid risk
Although some parents say they are busy to handle long bank queues while paying school fees, Lwanga says parents ought to struggle to avoid risky situations. “Theft is too rampant,” he says, “we ought to be sure our children do not get into trouble when it comes to final exams because the fees was robbed.”

Lurry Onyul, a teacher at Naalya Mixed School, Lugaazi branch, says most parents who have called him to stand surety for their children have been victims of theft.

“I received a call recently from one of the parents saying he had been robbed from a bank. I wondered if a parent can be robbed, how much more are a Senior One or Senior Two child risks being robbed?” Onyul asked.

Although most people might find it easy and comfortable to carry cash around to school or banks, the few risks that may come with it can bring adverse effects to a school-going child.

Save
Ezra Kowooya, a parent in the school says the method of money transfer has saved him the burden of having to transport himself each time he has to pay fees.

“I end up using a lot money to pay a small fees balance, travelling from Koboko all the way to Kampala to pay small fees balance can be so hectic. This will save us the time and I thank the school for the initiative,” says Kawooya.

“The day y son was conned of money in front of me in the bank, is when I started being hesitant on lining up on the long queues in the bank,” says Samuel Olupot, father of three and a parent in the school. He says all he does is put the money on his Mobile money account and wire it the account.

“I am save the stress of thinking on how safe the money is and how unsafe it is,” he adds.

How mobile transfers work

After an agreement with the bank, all the students in a given school register their names and they are forwarded to the bank and the students given numbers.

“The numbers are supposed to have a certain code which is given to every student and forwarded to the bank. In case of any deposit, the money is directed to the school’s bank account,” says Immaculate Lwanga, the deputy head teacher of St Peters Nsambya.

According to Susan Basanda, a mobile money agent, this provision is provided for in the prompts and when you follow directions as instructed, the option of utilities, and paying fees is thereby helpful.

“Other than depositing this money on a personal account, one can follow the option of utilities and the pay fees and they will be able to deposit the money on whichever account they want. The charges are according to the amount that is being deposited such as below Shs500, 000, one is charged about Shs5, 000 and for any amount above Shs1 million they may be charged Shs10, 000,” says Basanda.

In case the number gets lost or gets any kind of problem, the mobile service provider can replace it. When the student ceases to be part of that school, the number is terminated.