Owners of private schools in Edo State, who are members of the Coalition of Associations of Private Schools, held a peaceful demonstration in Benin City on Friday against what they claim is an increase in individual income tax.
The demonstration occurred outside the Edo State Ministry of Education building and included attendees holding signs and banners calling for the annulment of what they termed an excessive tax hike, allegedly ranging from 200% to 400%.
CAPS consists of various educational organizations such as the Association of Private School Owners of Nigeria, the Association for Robust Educational Advancement, the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools, and the Association of Model Islamic Schools.
At the forefront of the demonstration, CAPS Chairperson, Dr. Ohis-Olakhe Emmanuel, criticized the increase in taxes, labeling it as punitive and detrimental to the economy within the private education industry.
He said several attempts to resolve the issue through dialogue had failed, necessitating the protest.
“Private schools are not only complementing government efforts in the education sector, but are also major employers of labour.
"Due to this rise, more than 300,000 educators face potential job loss, let alone the numerous suppliers and support staff whose livelihoods rely on school operations," Emmanuel pointed out.
He criticised the new tax policy, which he said calculates tax based on a flat rate of N30,000 to N35,000 per student, despite the fact that many schools charge significantly lower fees.
The secretary of the coalition, Dr. Austin Igbasan, voiced comparable worries, cautioning about potential repercussions throughout the educational sector should the tax burden not be reassessed.
Mr. Oladele Ogundele, who serves as the secretary of AFED, advocated for a standardized taxation system, highlighting the challenges posed by numerous charges from different governmental bodies.
He pointed out that these consist of individual income tax, payroll taxes for employees, school refurbishment fees, environmental and health permits, sign installation costs, property rates, and various other charges.
In response to the demonstration, State Commissioner for Education Mr. Paddy Iyamu told the coalition that the state administration would review their requests.
He assured that a gathering would take place with the Edo State Internal Revenue Service to tackle the issues at hand.
“Iyamu stated that although taxes are essential for the government to carry out its duties, we have no intention of placing an excessive burden on educational institutions.”
He similarly encouraged owners of inadequate educational institutions to make enhancements, cautioning that the state government was about to start implementing more rigorous oversight policies.
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. Syndigate.info ).
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