Kaliro, Uganda: School administrators, parents, and financial service providers in Kaliro District have welcomed the rollout of Sure Pay, a digital payment platform designed to streamline school transactions and promote transparency in financial management.
During the official launch held on Saturday, June 14, at DMF Kaliro branch, stakeholders hailed the innovation as a timely solution to the long-standing challenges of school fee payments, especially in rural districts like Kaliro, where banking infrastructure remains limited.
Sam Isiko, a resident of Kaliro Town Council, applauded the development, noting that parents and students had long struggled with inefficient bank queues and unreliable agent services.
“Our children are learning to be responsible with money, but sometimes they make partial payments or underpay using altered codes. The SMS confirmation may come through, but schools later find the balance missing, leaving parents frustrated,” Isiko said.
He added that many schools in Kaliro hold accounts in banks that lack branches in the district, forcing parents to travel long distances or depend on untrustworthy agents. Sure Pay, he noted, resolves these issues by providing a direct, accountable, and user-friendly solution.
Digital System Backed by Government Policy
Hamdan Abulbast, the National Sales Manager for Sure Pay, assured Kaliro clients that the services provided are fully in line with national financial inclusion policies.
“Sure Pay is registered with the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) and offers secure digital solutions including school management systems, loan management tools, and SMS-based transaction alerts,” Hamdan explained.
He emphasized that the digital shift will help eliminate fraud and manual errors in school fee collection.
“I came here to affirm that this system will eliminate fraud. We are not just launching a product—we’re empowering communities,” he added.
Community Training and Outreach
Moses Meregulwa, the system’s Busoga Regional Manager, described the launch as both a service introduction and a free training opportunity for the end-users. “When new digital systems arrive, there’s often skepticism. But just like people got used to buying airtime electronically, they’ll soon appreciate the simplicity and security of Sure Pay,” Meregulwa said.
George Kamba, Branch Manager at Development Microfinance Kaliro, revealed that his team engaged the community directly, including outreach at churches and even burials, to spread awareness about the platform. “We went where the people are. This product needs to reach every household, and we’re doing that,” Kamba said.
Schools See Instant Benefits
Eric Gogole, Director of Golden High School in Kaliro Town, said the knowledge acquired from the engagement is a game-changer for school administrators.
“As a director, I don’t have to constantly check with the bursar about fee flow. I receive timely SMS alerts on every transaction, and parents too are relieved from unnecessary movements,” Gogole said.
He added that the burden of handling paper vouchers and manual salary payments has been drastically reduced with Sure Pay’s integrated system.
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