Some private primary and secondary schools in Anambra were on Monday shut in commencement of a three-day warning strike over alleged multiple taxation and extortion.
A Coalition of Private Schools in the state had in a statement on Sunday accused revenue agents and the state Ministry of Basic Education of alleged multiple tax and extortion.
Consequently, school owners sent messages across to parents informing them of the planned strike and the need to keep their children and wards away from school during the period.
The coalition included the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools, NAPPS, Owners of Private Schools Association of Nigeria, OPSAN, and United Independent Proprietors of Private Schools Association of Nigeria, UIPPSAN.
The group which also included, the Association for Formidable Education Development, AFAD, protested what it termed “unfair treatment and extortion by the state government.”
Speaking, Harrison Aronu, Deputy President of OPSAN, alleged that some fees were usually paid to the ministry on demand shortly before the Common Entrance, JSCE, SSCE and NECO examinations.
According to him, because of these exorbitant fees and frustrations from the ministry, a lot of students lost their chances of writing WAEC this year.
“They asked us to pay N8, 000 as emblem for each school bus per term when we find it difficult to maintain the vehicle and pay the driver for the selfless service.
“We are also compelled to buy a locker being sold by the ministry for N2, 800.
“Imagine when every school in the state buys another locker for the students in SS3, where will the locker be stocked, who will fund them when we know the economic situation in the country and she said if you do not acquire them, you cannot enroll for SSCE?” he queried.
Mr Aronu, yet wondered why school owners would be compelled to pay separately, renewal fee and re-accreditation fee for an already accredited school as well as make payments for internet Protocol cameras.
“People in the market were asked to pay business premises, we also got secular that the school is a business when we have paid our taxes and made other due payments to the ministry.
“These are reasons we are humbly crying out to the governor; we are not challenging the authority of government, but we know that the governor has a good will for the people of the state,” he said.
The deputy president appealed to the state governor to review the taxes and levies, so that every Anambra child would afford at least a basic education.
Reacting to the allegations, the state Commissioner for Education, Prof. Kate Omenugha explained that the state government was currently carrying out some reforms that would improve the education sector of the state.
Omenugha explained that the re-accreditation was for schools taking WAEC examinations and for those, who had been indicted for examination malpractices over the years.
“There are a lot of substandard schools in the state which was why we sought the approval of the governor to do the re-accreditation at a fee of N30, 000.
“By re-accreditation, we mean going back to find out the condition of the learning facilities including laboratories and infrastructures on ground,” the commissioner explained.
Omenugha expressed dismay that many private schools who were given N500, 000 for sick bay and another N500, 000 for sports equipment by the state government recently did not provide such facilities.
“We also asked the schools to get black flat tables not lockers, if that is the one they buy at N2,800, I don’t know.
“The cameras will help fight examination malpractice with technology,” she noted, saying that the changes are expected to take place over time,” she said.
The commissioner said the unions were called for negotiation last Saturday, but only two associations came while the other two refused to come.
According to her, what they want is to avoid tax completely, but they forget that they generate waste and erect signboard which all have laws backing them.
“We have told them that we will reduce the amount after the state House of Assembly revisits some of these laws but they prefer to fight the government,” she added.
NAN
