Illustrative engagement. A representative scenario showing how we approach this kind of work in education. It does not describe a specific client; outcomes are described qualitatively.
Industry overview
What is shaping education
Schools, universities, edtech companies and education programmes need evidence from students, parents and teachers, and marketing that reaches families at the right time.
- Parents research schools and courses online
- Edtech usage depends on teacher and parent support
- Programmes must show learning outcomes
Client background
An education trust, working in Uttar Pradesh. This is an illustrative engagement: a representative scenario showing how we approach this kind of work, not a named client project.
- Organisation
- An education trust
- Sector
- Education
- Team engaged
- Finance & Accounts
- Services
- Accounting & bookkeeping, Audit & compliance support, Payroll services
Client challenge
Fee receipts, scholarships and salaries were managed manually, causing reconciliation gaps.
Research objectives
- Deliver on the brief: fee accounting and compliance for an education trust.
- Establish accurate, reconciled numbers management can rely on.
- Put a reporting and compliance rhythm in place that runs on time.
Target audience
Scope: Five schools.
Audiences we typically reach in education
StudentsParentsTeachers and principalsEdtech usersEmployers
Geographic coverage
Coverage: Uttar Pradesh. Market: India.
- India
Research methodology
A structured finance engagement: review the current process, set up controls, run the routine and report.
- 1Brief
- 2Fee reconciliation
- 3Payroll
- 4Insight
We reconciled fees and scholarships monthly, ran payroll for teaching staff and prepared compliance reports for the trust.
Accounting & bookkeepingAudit & compliance supportPayroll services
Sampling strategy
- Every ledger, entity and transaction stream in scope was covered, with sample-based checks during review.
Data collection
- Source documents, bank statements and ledgers were collected through a secure shared workspace.
Data quality & validation
- Maker-checker review on all entries
- Bank and ledger reconciliations
- Client approval before every filing or report
- Supporting documents kept for every figure
Data analysis
- Variance analysis against budget and prior periods
- Ratio and trend analysis
- Cash-flow view for management
Key findings
- Reconciled fees are the foundation of a school's finances.
Recommendations
- Build on the core insight: reconciled fees are the foundation of a school's finances.
- Keep the monthly routine and review exceptions with management every period.
Business impact
- Reconciliation gaps closed, and the trustees received clear monthly reports.
Impact is described qualitatively.
Deliverables & next steps
- Monthly MIS pack and reconciled books
- Compliance calendar and filings
- Continue the routine and review results every period.
- A natural follow-on question: did the programme improve learning?