Coalition of Private Schools in Edo State has threatened to boycutt the September 11th resumption date for public and private schools in the state.
The coalition, under the body of Association for Formidable Educational Development (AFED); Association of Private Schools Owners of Nigeria (APSON) and National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) said the body decided to take such action after several efforts made to see Governor Godwin Obaseki to discuss issues affecting the body failed.
“All efforts to reach His Excellency to make our plights known to him directly and proffer possible solutions to the overall challenges of the second largest Employers of Labour in Edo State has proven abortive as official correspondences have not yielded any positive results,” the body added.
In a statement signed by DR Lemmy Oare Russel, State Chairman, NAPPS; Pastor (Mrs) Faith Abudu, Acting State Controller, AFED and DR Christy Egbune, State Chairperson, APSON, the body lamented that among other many issues, private schools are been over burdened with tax.
The coalition statement read by Dr Russel during a press conference in Benin reads: “Among many is the issues of Private Schools being over burdened with Corporate Tax by Federal Inland Revenue, FIRS. Personal Income Tax by the State Government and Annual Renewal not to mention the different Officials that comes around to collect one fee or the other in name of Government agents.” (Sic)
The statement added: “Closure of schools in the current economic realities in Nigeria is tantamount to increasing the number of Out school Children and Unemployment in the already World capital of Poverty.”
The coalition demanded: “That no Private school be closed, instead, let there be regulatory control with regards to school site, landmass and classroom population.
“Scrap the huge Annual Renewal Fee or have one consolidated fee/Tax payable by Private Schools as against the numerous bills charge by Government MDAs.
“Fund/Loan be made available to Private Schools at very low interest rate with period of at least 5years to pay back. This will help drive the implementation of disarticulation policies of schools and improve learning environment in Schools.
“A Committee comprising of Association Leaders, Ministry Of Education Representatives and other critical Stakeholders in Education be set up to meet and review the policy checklist and deliberate on its implementations.”
Dissociating itself from a viral video wherein the Commissioner for Education, Dr Joan Osa Oviawe and Dr Dr Rosaline Okosun Director General, Quality Assurance Directorate was insulted, the coalition described the video as politically motivated, adding that the coalition is apolitical.
The coalition added: “That, the purported viral video circulating on the social media insulting or using derogatories remarks on highly Profiled Ministry Of Education officials such as Dr Rosaline Okosun and the Honourable Commissioner, Dr Joan Osa Oviawe is cheap blackmail, childish and doesn’t represent the interest.
“We have absolute confidence in the Honourable Commissioner For Education, Dr Joan Osa Oviawe. The choice of Dr Rosaline Okosun as the Director General, Quality Assurance Directorate is another round peg in round hole by His Excellency.”