National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) in Adamawa state has pleaded with Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri to extend payment of WAEC and NECO fees to students in private schools.
More so, the association advocated its involvement in policy making particularly on education sector, saying that its inputs in such policies or programmes will help tremendously in education growth.
The Acting Chairman of the association, Muhammed Musa Wambilmi, made the plea when the association paid a courtesy and a congratulatory visit on the Adamawa State House of Assembly Committee on Education, Tertiary and Professional Institutions.
"We appreciate Fintiri's effort in paying WAEC and NECO examination fees for students; however, we wish to request that the gesture be extended to students in private schools, because they are also indigenes of Adamawa". He stated.
He said that there are many programmes being carried out by the ministry including distribution of instructional materials, furniture to public schools, saying that private schools are not being considered for the gesture.
He pointed out that private schools are not business organisations as some people might think, but rendering services to the citizens, and appealed to the public to stop looking at such schools as a money making venture.
He explained that some of the students in public schools are indigenes of the state, and that Governor Fintiri led administration should consider extending the gesture to them.
The association also decried multiple taxes being collected by several agencies of the government including Ministries of Education, Commerce, Environment, Board of Internal Revenue and Fire Service.
He explained that the private schools are not in anyway against payment of taxes, saying that what they want is that their taxes should go directly to the government coffers and not in private pockets.
He advocated for a unified payment system, because nowadays many people come to them demanding that they should pay taxes, saying that they are in doubt if such people remit what they collect to government.
He alleged that sometimes they issue them fake receipts, and that sometimes they do not get those receipts, saying that as responsible citizens, they want to pay money directly to the government.
Responding, the Chairman of the Committee, Hon. John Adun Alaba, pledged to look into their requests as a committee, and promised to convey same to the Governor.
Hon. Alaba, who is the member representing Uba/Gaya constituency at the assembly, told them that Governor Fintiri led administration has accorded premium attention on the sector, hence, his free education policy.
He noted that their contributions to the development of education sector cannot be over-emphasized, and also promised that the committee will support them with the needed legislation.
Also speaking, the Vice Chairman of the Committee and member representing Nasarawo Binyeri constituency, Hon. Babangida Mohammed Njidda, applauded the association for its contributions in the sector.
Hon. Njidda stressed the readiness of the committee to support and called on them to identify schools that are operating without license or at substandard level in order to penalise them.
No comments:
Post a Comment