Spiral Locas' School Communication System "Sughool" Begins Integration with GMO E-Pay's Cashless Payment Service "enpay byGMO" for Educational Institutions

Spiral Locas Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Nakamura-ku, Nagoya, Aichi; President and CEO: Hidenori Nakajima; hereinafter "Spiral Locas"), a provider of information-sharing solutions for local governments nationwide, has launched integration between its school communication system "Sughool" and "enpay byGMO," a cashless payment service for collection operations provided by GMO E-Pay Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; hereinafter "GMO E-Pay").

This integration aims to reduce administrative burdens on schools related to collections and streamline payment procedures for parents.

Background

Under the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's (MEXT) initiatives such as the "GIGA School Initiative" and "Next-Generation School Administration DX," reforming educators' work practices has become an urgent priority in schools. Digitalization of fee collection management is also listed as a key item in MEXT's "School Administration DX Checklist under the GIGA School Initiative."

Traditionally, school collection tasks—such as cash handling, verifying deposits via bank passbooks, and sending reminders to non-payers—have placed a significant burden on school staff. Parents also faced inconveniences, including reviewing paper notices and preparing cash or completing bank transfers.

To help resolve these challenges, Spiral Locas has been advancing integration with external services. As part of this effort, the company has now launched functional integration between "Sughool" and GMO E-Pay's "enpay byGMO."

Reference: MEXT "School Administration DX Checklist under the GIGA School Initiative (Starting in FY2025)" https://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/shotou/zyouhou/detail/mext_00085.html

Expected Benefits of the Integration

With this integration, the entire process—from school-to-home communications to fee collection—can be streamlined.

1. Reduced workload for individual notifications and reminders

Payment-related notifications from "enpay byGMO" (e.g., payment requests, payment status, re-billing notices) will be synchronized with "Sughool," enabling appropriate message delivery to each parent. This reduces the need for manual individual notifications and reminders by school staff, while also minimizing the risk of missed confirmations or errors on the parents' side.

【Main Notification Types】

・Payment request

・Payment result

・Re-billing (reminder) for non-payers

2. Enhanced convenience for parents through digitalized payment processes

With digitalized payment procedures, parents can make payments anytime, anywhere, and via their preferred payment method, significantly improving convenience.

※ Schools already using both services who wish to enable integration will need to complete additional setup. Please contact our representative or reach out via our inquiry form.

◆ About "Sughool"

"Sughool" is a school communication system designed to support initiatives related to improving educators' work practices and fostering stronger school-community collaboration.

By adopting "Sughool," schools can centrally manage routine tasks such as message distribution, absence/late arrival notifications, surveys, and health logs, greatly reducing workloads for both staff and parents. Currently adopted by over 200 boards of education nationwide, "Sughool" also supports integration with external systems such as school administration platforms and fee collection systems.

School Communication System "Sughool": https://www.locas.info/sughool

◆ About "enpay byGMO"

"enpay byGMO" is a cashless and paperless collection support service that simplifies all aspects of fee collection for the childcare and education sectors. Widely adopted by kindergartens, childcare centers, schools, and after-school programs across Japan, the service supports improved operational efficiency and greater convenience for parents.

Cashless Collection Service "enpay byGMO": https://www.enpay.co.jp/

Future Outlook

Spiral Locas will continue promoting digital transformation in education through "Sughool," contributing to an environment where schools, families, and communities are seamlessly connected. The company will also expand integration with various services to provide tailored, value-added solutions that meet the diverse needs and implementation environments of individual schools.

Going forward, Spiral Locas will continue to support local governments and community organizations based on its core concept of "Locas," strengthening human connections through information sharing.

◆ Overview of Spiral Locas Co., Ltd.

Company Name: Spiral Locas Co., Ltd.

URL: https://spiral-locas.co.jp/

Headquarters: 5F, Sumitomo Life Nagoya Building, 2-14-19 Meieki-minami, Nakamura-ku, Nagoya City, Aichi

Representative: Hidenori Nakajima

Business: Provides "information-sharing solutions" for public-interest organizations such as local governments and boards of education across Japan