The news of the recent imposition of a compulsory N10,500 Tax Clearance fee by the Lagos State Government on state-owned Senior Secondary School 3 students processing their West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE) registration, has continued to raise concerns in different quarters in the state as people react to this new development. CONSTAINCIA URUAKPA shares some of the views on the condition for these Public Secondary School students to write their final examination.
‘It’s wrong and insensitive’
I was shocked when I heard about the tax clearance fee. I was shocked that a government that promises free education in public schools, even free WAEC exams should turn around and start charging students N10,500 in this harsh economic condition. I was wondering if they understand the hardship the parents are going through, the trauma on the students; the implications of what they are doing. I am appealing to the state government, even relevant groups; civil society groups to speak against that.
It is wrong and insensitive according to them; you have to present your parents’ tax certificate. If they were doing that initially, in this present economic condition, it’s very wrong to ask for the said fee. The government should allow the students to enjoy their education, and let the education be free as promised. They can’t give students free education at one point and later turn around to collect money, to impoverish parents and traumatise the students by asking them to pay N10,500. It’s just like the recent introduction of N50 deduction from Monie Point and the rest which they know that students are the main users of these digital banking platforms for their schooling.
They charge the parents and the students. In other countries, people are doing their best to support young people, small businesses, but here, the opposite is the case, businesses are taxed to death. The Lagos State Government should think about it, and dish out their promise of free education to the people.
• Rev. Fr. Vitalis Chukwujeku, CSSP
‘Government should make things easier’
Though the government may have reasons for imposing this tax on students, and inadvertently on parents, but based on the economic situation of our country, I think the government should also look into this, and make things easier for the students and parents, because of the way the country is currently. Really this calls for lots of concern. I heard in the news recently that Dr. Charles Soludo, Governor of Anambra State, made some schools to be free.
I think based on that, many who couldn’t go to school because of money are now privileged to go to school now. And they are happy. I heard them talking on the radio that now, based on the provision of free education, it is now possible for them to go to school. So, for that reason, I think Lagos State Government should also see reason why education should be free so that those who don’t have the money will be able to go to school.
•Mr. Isaac Ofordile, Laity Chairman, Ss. Mulumba & David
‘It is draconian’
Anytime there is any tax issue in Nigeria, people tend to raise eyebrows because in the first place, the government is not sincere, and most of the government policies are often muddled with corruption. Only when this tax clearance policy comes into effect, I feel it’s a rumour for now. But the government of Lagos State should tread with caution, because a majority of the people are living in penury, people are very, very poor, and even to eat three square meals is no longer attainable. We are talking about one square meal now.
Even for the rich it is one square meal. Not everyone can afford a square meal today. So, for them to go and introduce another policy which I may call a draconian one, because you tax people who are already downtrodden; whose means of livelihood, revenue is dwindling, then you are bringing another tax policy. Most of us who have children in the public school today, if we were well to do, our children wouldn’t be in public school, we would have loved them to be in the private school. So, I will advise the Lagos State Government to rethink about the tax of a thing.
So far, the tax level that is operating in Lagos is okay if it is properly harnessed. To go extra mile to introduce another tax policy, that will be too much on the populace of the state. So, I’m appealing to Mr. Governor who I know has the milk of human kindness flowing in him to have a rethink. So, if such a policy is in the pipeline, he should please withdraw such. In my own view, it is draconian.
• Chief Gregory Eguaju, Fin. Sec., CCCF
‘It shouldn’t be binding on all parents’
Concerning this tax clearance before WAEC, I don’t think it’s very necessary to be binding on all parents, because most parents are just petty traders. Where would they get that money? And the economic in the nation now is so pressing that what we eat, the parents are managing to provide. So, going to the council for tax clearance will not be an easy task. For me, I think it’s not advisable to impose this generally. The working class should do that, and those that cannot afford should not be over tasked.
The levies should not be the same thing. Students are students, and where will they get the money from, if not from the parents. We are advising our children to live well, not to mix up and be carried away with the Yahoo and other nefarious means of getting money these days. With this now, those whose parents cannot provide the money will want to get it by all means. We are trying to curb the vices for a better nation. So, I don’t think it’s advisable to impose this on a general basis for WAEC.
• Mrs. Juliet Michael
‘It’s a strategy to exploit parents’
Well, I feel it’s a strategy to exploit parents from one angle; this is because most of these parents pay taxes directly and indirectly, so why impose this one because they are about to write an important examination as a mile stone for the children. However, it’s a trap to catch those that have been averting tax. In an organised society, the students’ tax won’t really be necessary, the system is the problem.
• Evan Martins
‘It may cause the students to go astray’
It’s not good. It may cause the students to go astray, to start looking for money. The students are not working, rather they depend on their parents for everything. And whereby the parents cannot provide for them, the student may not have the opportunity to write the WAEC exams, and this will definitely affect the student’s future. I believe students as well as their parents should not be encumbered with such a burden. I believe this will be too much for them with the harsh economic reality in the country. The government are already getting tax from workers and traders.
• Rev. Sr. Purisima Anigbogu, DDL
‘Tax being paid should be beneficial to students’
I see it as something that is not necessary, because if the WAEC writers should be paying anything, it should be something that will be beneficial to them. If they are going to pay tax clearance, it will have to be of no benefit to the students. So, there is no need asking their parents to pay, because the tax is supposed to be paid by those who work.
So, when these students are through with their schooling, and get employment, or when they own businesses, then government can collect all the taxes they want. But for now, their parents should focus on gathering money for their university education, and the children to gather money for their university education, when they get employed or when they own businesses then the government can get all the taxes, they want from them.
• Elizabeth Ojiabor, CYON National Vice President 1.
