Hike In School Fees Looms As Enugu Govt Imposes Taxes On Private Schools
1 year ago 3 min read
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Parents whose children and wards are in private schools in Enugu State have become apprehensive following the imposition of taxes on non-government owned schools in the state.
Some of them who spoke with THE WHISTLER on Friday said the new tax regime would bring more difficulties to them.
Mrs Patience Ugwu has two kids at a private school located at Emene. She said, “I pay N52,000 on each of them. With the current economic difficulties in the country, I was already thinking of taking them to less expensive private schools.
“With the new tax regime in the state, definitely the school authorities will add some money to the amount we used to pay.”
Another parent, Esomchi Ugwu said, “I am not against any taxation, but the timing is my worries. We are already overstretched by the impact of the fuel subsidy policy.
“Now school fees will rise astronomically. One had expected the state government to adopt policies to make education affordable both in public and private schools.”
A school proprietor, Johnson Okeke, said, “The burden of the taxation will be shifted to parents. This implies that there will surely be an increase in school fees. That one is a fact. Again, teachers are also asking for a salary increase in line with the new minimum wage.”
THE WHISTLER reports that the state government had approved taxation of privately owned schools to the tune of between N100, 000 and N300, 000. There were earlier reports that the sum was N5m per private school.
The state Commissioner for Education, Hon Ndubueze Mbah, had clarified that new and existing private schools in the state were required to either register for provisional approval or have their licences renewed.
According to him, “This is between N100,000 and N300,000, depending on the category the schools fall in. The approved schedule of fees was released to the public earlier in June.”
The commissioner therefore urged the public to disregard reports that the state government had imposed between N1 million and N5 million mandatory payments on private schools in the state as educational taxes.
Quoting him, “Extant laws empower the Ministry of Education of Enugu State to maintain minimum standards of education for both public and private schools.
“The ministry is also empowered to streamline and enhance the effective administration, monitoring, and supervision of private schools.”
He said those peddling contrary information were defaulters “because they feared the consequences of operating unlicensed private schools, which can result in imprisonment of up to 10 years and the possible closure of the schools.”
He added that, “The government is undeterred, as Governor Peter Mbah will not fold his arms and watch the future of Enugu children destroyed by illegal and unscrupulous schools and proprietors.”
He said the ministry engaged key stakeholders in the education sector across the state during the revision of the 2024 Enugu State Schools Licensing Fees Regulation,adding that there would be no backing down on the reforms.
