By Wakibi Iddi
SchoolPay is set to launch a new programme that will cover three subsequent school terms for children whose registered parent or guardian dies, in a move aimed at helping families maintain education continuity during a difficult period.
Known as Asome by SchoolPay, the programme is expected to become active in November 2026, subject to final rollout confirmation. The benefit will be available to parents and guardians already using SchoolPay, provided they meet the programme’s verification and eligibility requirements.
No separate registration or additional payment will be required from qualifying SchoolPay users. Once approved, school fees will be paid directly to the child’s school through SchoolPay’s existing relationship with the family and institution.
The process will begin when the family notifies the school of the death of the registered parent or guardian. The school will then inform SchoolPay, which will engage the family and school to verify the circumstances and complete the required documentation.
Fincom Chief Executive Officer Charity Atukwatsa said schools would play a central role in activating the support.
“The process begins with the school. Once the family notifies the school of the death of the registered parent or guardian, the school informs SchoolPay,” Atukwatsa said.
The verification process may require documents including a death certificate and evidence of previous school-fee payments. Once the requirements are fulfilled, SchoolPay will begin paying the child’s fees for the following three terms.
The programme will also allow the support to continue if a child changes schools during the covered period.
For example, if a registered parent or guardian dies while a child is completing Primary Seven and the child subsequently joins secondary school, the support may continue at the new school for the remainder of the period, subject to the programme requirements.
SchoolPay says the initiative is designed to reduce disruption to children’s education at a time when families may be facing both financial pressure and emotional distress.
Asome forms part of SchoolPay’s wider Do More with SchoolPay initiative, which seeks to expand the company’s services beyond school-fee payments.
The SchoolPay ecosystem includes S-Wallet, which enables parents to send pocket money to students digitally, as well as enterprise resource planning solutions that help schools manage student records, attendance, academics, finance, accounting and examinations.
SchoolPay Medical also provides tools for managing student medical information and related processes.
With Asome, SchoolPay is extending its services to address education continuity after the loss of a parent or guardian. By covering three terms of school fees, the programme could give affected families time to reorganise their finances and find longer-term support while keeping children in school.
The initiative therefore places education continuity at the centre of support for families facing the sudden loss of a parent or guardian, helping ensure that bereavement does not immediately become a reason for a child to leave school.