Dar es Salaam: TECHzMagazine – News Desk
In a major step toward a cashless economy and digital inclusion in the education sector, Airtel Money Tanzania has successfully expanded its “School Pay” service to over 800 schools across 16 regions. Announced in Dar es Salaam, the initiative digitizes the traditional school fee collection process, simplifying financial management for educational institutions while easing the burden on parents.
Originally launched with a focus on private schools, Airtel Money School Pay is more than just a payment channel. The platform integrates Airtel Money’s mobile payment technology directly into a comprehensive school management system. Airtel Tanzania provides schools using the platform with a robust, free-of-charge suite of tools, which includes an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, a fees management module, a student management system, and accounting modules.
The transition to digital fee payments addresses several long-standing pain points for both parents and administrators. For institutions, the system allows schools to collect fees instantly and directly into their bank accounts, greatly improving liquidity and financial tracking. Because the process is paperless and automated, it minimizes the security risks associated with cash handling and removes the administrative hassle of manual receipt referencing.
For parents, the platform offers ultimate convenience. They can bypass long banking queues by initiating payments securely via USSD from their mobile phones, anytime and anywhere. The automated system also generates instant payment confirmations, keeping parents continuously updated and eliminating the need to physically store paper records.
During the initial rollout, prominent institutions such as Fountain Gate Schools, Ubungo Islamic High School, and Sheikhat Hissa School were among the early adopters, citing significant time savings and streamlined administrative processes. With the service now active in hundreds of schools, Airtel Money Tanzania has set an ambitious target to connect 1,000 schools annually.
According to Airtel Money Tanzania’s Director, Andrew Rugamba, these digital solutions are designed to play a crucial role in shaping the future of education while supporting the Tanzanian government’s broader goal of a complete digital transition across all socio-economic sectors. By turning mobile phones into a direct portal for educational administration, Airtel Money is actively proving that fintech solutions can deliver tangible, everyday value for African households.
