The back-to-school season in Kenya is always a moment filled with mixed emotions. For children, it’s the excitement of new uniforms, new books, and reconnecting with friends. For families, it can be a season of financial juggling, balancing household expenses, school fees, and the long shopping lists that come with each new term.

In most Kenyan homes, it isn’t just parents who shoulder the responsibility. Older siblings often step in by sending money home, buying supplies, or simply guiding their parents on how best to stretch the budget. Each role is important in ensuring that children are fully prepared for school.

But with rising costs of living, how are families coping? Increasingly, many are turning to digital banking solutions to ease the pressure.

Ask any parent doing back-to-school shopping at Nairobi’s River Road or Kisumu’s Oginga Odinga Street, and they’ll tell you that every shilling counts. Transaction charges on payments, however small, add up quickly.

To address this, Equity has made it easy for families to make payments for school fees, uniforms, and supplies without extra charges when using the Equity Mobile App, Equitel, or *247#. For families already stretched thin, avoiding unnecessary deductions means that money can be redirected toward something else, perhaps an extra set of books, or even a snack for the child’s first day back.

January, May, and September are notorious “school months” in Kenya. Parents and siblings alike often describe them as the hardest parts of the year financially. Between rent, food, transport, and school fees, many households struggle to keep up.

This is where flexible financial tools come in. Through Equity’s platforms, families can access instant loans of up to Ksh 3 million without paperwork or guarantors, useful when school deadlines arrive before the salary does. And with features like Boostika, parents and guardians can complete payments even when they are short on funds.

Such innovations are a lifeline for families that simply need a little extra room to breathe…and who doesn’t?

For boarding school students, pocket money is a vital part of school life. But cash can easily be lost or misused. Increasingly, parents and siblings are turning to prepaid cards offered by banks like Equity.

These cards allow families to load money directly, ensuring that funds are secure and traceable. For students, it offers the freedom to buy meals or small essentials without worrying about losing cash in crowded dormitories or school grounds. For parents, it provides peace of mind and a gentle way to introduce financial responsibility.

Kenya’s family structure often places older siblings at the heart of education. Some send money home each term; others, even if they don’t provide financial support, strongly influence their parents’ spending decisions.

With Equity-to-Equity transfers being free, siblings can send contributions without losing money to charges, a small but significant relief when every coin matters. For those who guide decisions rather than contribute directly, encouraging digital payments, cashless shopping, and responsible budgeting helps parents save time and resources.

Back-to-school season is not only about households; it also powers a whole ecosystem. Bookshops, uniform vendors, shoe sellers, and school bursars all prepare for the rush. Agents handle deposits, and suppliers take bulk orders.

Digital solutions like the One Equity Till Number have made it easier for businesses and schools to reconcile payments and access short-term financing to meet demand. For agents, float financing ensures they can keep up with the surge in school fee transactions.

When parents, siblings, schools, and businesses are all supported, the entire education system runs more smoothly.

At its core, this is about more than money. It’s about dignity and opportunity. Every child who makes it back to class with fees paid and supplies in hand is a step closer to their dreams. Every parent who saves a few shillings, or a sibling who contributes without stress, helps keep that dream alive.

By easing back-to-school burdens, tools like free transfers, instant loans, and prepaid cards are helping to make education more accessible for millions of Kenyan families. Back-to-school season in Kenya will probably always be busy and stressful. But with the right tools, it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Digital banking, zero-charge payments, and secure pocket money options are giving families practical ways to cope with the rising costs of education.

Equity Bank is committed to safeguarding its customers’ accounts. If you’re an Equity customer, keep these essential security measures in mind as you carry out your transactions this Back-to-School season:

Be Vigilant: Take control of your financial security now, protect yourself from fraudsters and ensure your hard-earned money stays safe! To learn more, visit: Secure Banking Tips | Equity Bank Kenya.