Edo To Review Taxes Payable by School Owners Following Protests

By Osehobo Ofure, Benin City

Edo State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Paddy Iyamu, has assured protesting Private school owners in Edo State, under the umbrella of the Coalition of Associations of Private Schools (CAPS), that the government would look into their concerns.

Iyamu who acknowledged the role of private schools in the state’s educational development emphasized that the government remained committed to providing an enabling environment for businesses in Edo State. He promised that a meeting would be convened with the Edo State Internal Revenue Service (EIRS) to address the grey areas surrounding the tax hike.

“Tax is necessary for the government to deliver on its promises,” Iyamu stated. “However, I assure you that private schools will not be overburdened with taxation at the end of our engagement.”

The Commissioner also used the occasion to call on school proprietors whose facilities fall short of required standards to take corrective action promptly, warning that the government would soon begin enforcing stricter compliance measures.

It follows Fridays protest by the private school owners under the umbrella of the Coalition of Associations of Private Schools (CAPS) decrying what they described as an “alarming increase” in personal income taxes imposed by the state government.

The coalition including the Association of Private School Owners of Nigeria (APSON), Association of Formidable Education Development (AFED), National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), and the Association of Model Islamic Schools, converged on the premises of the Edo State Ministry of Education Benin City to voice their grievances.

Bearing placards and banners with various inscriptions, the protesters demanded an urgent reversal of what they claimed to be tax hikes ranging from 200 to as high as 4,000 percent imposed on school proprietors.

Chairman of the coalition, Dr. Ohis-Olakhe Emmanuel, described the increase as unjust and capable of crippling private education in the state. He stressed that many private schools were already struggling to survive amid Nigeria’s harsh economic climate.

“We are not against paying taxes,” Dr. Emmanuel said. “But this sudden and outrageous increment is a burden too heavy for us to bear. We appeal to the government to review this policy and engage stakeholders meaningfully.”

The protest ended peacefully, after the Commissioner met with the coalition expressing hope that the state government would act swiftly to address their demands.