Proposal for the recovery of the overdue portfolio of the Southern Adventist Educational Unit

Introduction: nonperforming loans constitute one of the main financial challenges facing private educational institutions, directly impacting their liquidity, sustainability, and operational capacity. Objective: to determine the characteristics of the nonperforming loans at the Southern Adventist Educational Unit. Method: an observational, descriptive, and cross-sectional study was conducted. The study population consisted of 172 parents and/or financial representatives of UEPAS. The sample consisted of 106 of the 172 financial representatives. Non-probability convenience sampling was used. Interviews and observation were used to obtain internal data. Results: 13.2 % of the financial representatives surveyed acknowledged paying their obligations two, three, or more months late; 83.9 % signed the aforementioned contract, which includes the pension and payment terms, consciously; 51 % of respondents would not consider using public educational services; 43.4 % believe the monthly cost of the educational service is adequate; 51.9 % are aware of the institution's debt collection process; and 39.6 % claim not to have received any communication from the institution regarding payment delays. Conclusions: strengthening financial literacy, accounting transparency, and institutional empathy are the pillars of effective recovery of non-performing loans.