Caroline Yakubu, the Executive Secretary of the Africa Community School and Africa International College, both chaired by former Head of State Yakubu Gowon, has expressed concern over the imposition of multiple taxes and levies on private schools in Nigeria. She emphasized the vital role played by private schools in strengthening the education sector in the country.
Yakubu urged the government to eliminate these multiple taxes on private schools, as they have proven to be a significant obstacle to the day-to-day operations of such educational institutions.
Reflecting on past attempts by the government to nationalize private and mission schools, Yakubu highlighted the failures and unquantifiable losses associated with such efforts. She cautioned against repeating the mistakes of the past, stating, “The place and role of private schools in our educational system cannot be overemphasized.”
In the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) alone, there are over 2,400 private schools compared to about 830 public schools. Yakubu posed the question of what the implications would be if privately run schools were eliminated entirely in the FCT.
Addressing the impact of Africa Community School and Africa International College, Yakubu stated that the institutions have provided scholarships and support to numerous students. Over 109 students from Africa Community School have benefited from internal scholarship and support schemes, totaling nearly N70 million. In Africa International College, more than 92 students have received support amounting to about N90 million. These schools have collectively invested over N160 million in supporting the education of over 200 learners, including students who have lost parents or come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
Yakubu highlighted their policy of not withdrawing students who lose one or both parents due to an inability to pay school fees once they have been admitted into the school.
The call to remove multiple taxes and levies on private schools is aimed at alleviating the financial burden on these institutions and ensuring that they can continue to play a crucial role in the education sector in Nigeria.