Recent figures from TPN Credit Bureau’s latest data on school fee payments reveal a concerning decline in the number of school fee accounts in good standing for the first quarter of 2024. Fee-paying public schools have been particularly affected, with only 28% of fees paid on time during this period. The data indicates that 30% of parents made no payment towards their fee obligations, while an additional 22% made only partial payments. This highlights a significant challenge for schools, which can be more effectively addressed with the right approach and tools.
“The key is to be proactive in managing fee collections. Schools must ensure they use the right strategies and technologies to secure consistent revenue flow while still maintaining their educational standards,” says Steven Maier, Chief Brand Officer at Amplifin.
With both public and private schools finding it challenging to collect fees, the impact on operations is significant. Just consider the consequences of late or no fees on a school’s ability to maintain infrastructure, pay salaries, and provide quality education. With more learners enrolling and the cost of living increasing, schools across the country must overcome the dual challenge of managing the obligations of fee collection while maintaining good relationships with parents.
Amplifin’s approach
Amplifin offers a suite of solutions specifically designed to help schools manage the fee collection process effectively while easing the burden on parents.
- DebiCheck Debit Orders: is an advanced debit order system where collections are processed early in the morning and if aligned with the salary paydays of the parents then a high success rate can be expected. DebiCheck Debit Orders require upfront electronic consent (authentication) from parents and ensure that schools have the necessary authorisation for fee collections. Authentication is only required once which will potentially be for the whole school year and will only require reauthentication if certain changes are made to the parent’s repayment plan. Due to the parents authenticating the mandate for the collections electronically, the successfully collected school fees cannot be disputed if the collection is aligned with the electronic consent provided. DebiCheck also supports the tracking of payments which means a collection can be represented for multiple consecutive days which adds to the overall probability of a successful collection of school fees. Reporting on the state of the collections is done on a near real-time basis, and this ensures that the schools finance department is aware of any school fees that have been paid or not paid and can follow up and action accordingly.
- EFT Debit Orders: is a cost-effective and well-established method; EFT debit orders are presented later in the afternoon and this solution is more suited to the collection of school fees where the time of the processing of the debit order does not need to be early in the morning. This offers schools and parents alike a convenient and simple way of meeting their payment obligations.
- Debit Orders made simple: For both DebiCheck and EFT Debit Order; Amplifin supports the ability to load collections on a once off basis for the whole school year, this alleviates the requirement for the finance department to upload debit orders every month. The only requirement will be for the finance department to add new scholars or edit / cancel existing debit orders. This is highly effective and makes the overall debit order process accurate and efficient freeing up significant time in the finance department day to focus on other important tasks.
- Debit and credit card payments: Accept payments via debit or credit cards using our modern state of the art card payment devices with transactional pricing offered at highly competitive rates. Whether it’s for the tuckshop, sport clothing store, school functions or to accept payments from parents for school fees our reliable and easy-to-use card payment solution will ensure a unique and effortless solution to accept these kinds of payments.
Amplifin’s solutions are designed to be user-friendly yet highly efficient in the collection of fees and payments due. We provide a comprehensive front-end solution called ALLPS-i, which gives schools the ability to create and manage payments with ease and without the dependency on any third-party software. We provide onsite training during the installation process and our support is ongoing through Consultant engagement and our dedicated Support Centre to assist with any questions or concerns you may have.
Helping schools through the process
Amplifin understands the challenges schools face and provides comprehensive support throughout the fee and payments collection process. From obtaining necessary mandates to setting up and managing payment solutions, Amplifin’s team is there to guide schools every step of the way. We appreciate that if collections and payments are made simple yet effective for both parents, scholars and the school then the probability of collecting what is due substantially increases.
“Our goal is to help schools navigate the complexities of fee collection with ease and confidence,” says Maier. “With our solutions, schools can focus on their primary mission – providing quality education – while we handle the complexities of payment processing. We also ensure that schools do not strain their relationships with parents by making the process as seamless as possible.”
Amplifin is committed to empowering South African schools with the tools and support they need to manage fee collections effectively. By leveraging secure and reliable payment solutions like DebiCheck and EFT Debit Orders, as well as card payment facilities, schools can ensure steady revenue flow and maintain their focus on delivering exceptional education.
For more information on how Amplifin can support your school in managing fee collections, contact us today. Visit amplifin.co.za, call us on 012 993 8383 or email info@amplifin.co.za.
