The imposition of a 5% annual tax on private schools in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) poses a threat to their viability, potentially driving school owners out of business.
This concern was shared by the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) during a discussion in Abuja on Saturday, echoing their immediate reaction when the measure was first announced in January.
Despite NAPPS’ plea for intervention from FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, the Department of Quality Assurance of FCT’s Education Secretariat proceeded with the measure, which calculates taxes based on tuition fees and student enrollment.
FCT Chairperson of NAPPS, Mrs. Rukayat Agboola, lamented the lack of response from the Education Secretariat to their rejection of the tax.
She stated, “The tax will also create an additional burden on parents and school owners.
“The secretariat could not even be bothered about parents’ ability to pay tuition fees. It is interested only in using school enrolment to determine payable taxes.
“If the secretariat becomes insistent on the tax, we shall continue to resist it, otherwise, many private schools will run out of business.’’
In January, the Department of Quality Assurance of the FCT’s Education Secretariat introduced the née tax measure, prompting the association to request intervention from FCT Minister Mr. Nyesom Wike to overturn it.
Under the tax system, schools would be assessed based on the tuition fees paid by students and the number of children enrolled.
