By our Correspondent
Private school owners in Edo under the umbrella of Private Schools on Monday threatened to boycott the Sept. 11 resumption date in the state due to harsh policies.
The coalition during a news conference in Benin, said the step became necessary as all efforts to reach Gov. Godwin Obaseki over their plights proved abortive.
The body comprises Association for Formidable Educational Development (AFED), Association Of Private Schools Owners of Nigeria, (APSON) and the National Association of Proprietors Of Private Schools (NAPPS).
In its address delivered by Dr Lemmy Russel, State Chairman of NAPPS, the association lamented that its members were being overburdened with Corporate Tax by the Federal Inland Revenue as well as Personal Income Tax and annual renewal by the state government.
Besides these, the private school owners said, different officials would come around to collect one fee or the other in the name of government agents.
According to the group, the recent facility check survey by the Directorate of Quality Assurance in the state was impromptu and hasty. The association leaders, it said, could have been carried along as agreed in the previous stakeholders meeting in order to mobilise members.
It described the decision of the government to seal off default schools in the current economic realities as tantamount to increasing the number of out of school children and unemployment in the country already plagued with poverty.
The coalition, however, appealed that no private school be closed; rather there should be a regulatory control with regards to school site, landmass and classroom population.
“We, therefore, appeal for a stakeholders meeting of the three association leaders to have a dialogue in order to address the many plights of private schools in Edo State.
He said, “Scrap the huge Annual Renewal Fee or have one consolidated fee/Tax payable by private schools as against the numerous bills charged. Fund/Loan be made available to private schools at a very low interest rate with a period of at least 5 years to pay back. This will help drive the implementation of disarticulation policies of schools and improve the learning environment in Schools.”
A committee composed 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,” said the coalition.In case the appeals had no result, it said members would stage peaceful protests to ensure necessary actions are taken.
The association, however, commended the education reform of the state including the establishment of Directorate of Quality Assurance, disassociating itself from the viral video maligning some officials of the state.
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