Religious schools, better known as Islamiya in Kaduna, northwestern Nigeria, have decried a strange new tax by the state government on the religious schools.
The tax imposed on Islamiyya school signboards has raised concerns among school owners, who cited the current economic hardship in the country
In a Facebook post, a teacher and head of Madrasa-tul Ihya’u Deenil Islam, Rigasa, Muhammad Rabiu Nasir Abu-Rumaisa, condemns the development, describing it as “an unnecessary burden on struggling religious schools.”
According to him, an official from the Kaduna State Urban Planning and Development Authority (KASUPDA) visited the school demanding payment for the signboard tax.
“We were in the school when a KASUPDA officer stormed in, demanding we pay for our school signboard tax. This is shocking, especially at a time when even teachers are yet to receive their salaries,” he wrote.
Teachers and community members have criticised the policy, arguing that Islamiyya schools operate locally without proper funding and should not be subjected to such levies.
“We serve the community and contribute to the development of the nation by giving children a better education at little cost, which some parents hardly pay.
Like Abu-Rumaisa, many condemned the tax, urging the government to halt any further moves to tax the religious schools that serve the masses selflessly.
However, they also called on the government to reconsider its decision and focus on supporting religious and community-based schools that provide free education to thousands of children across Kaduna State.
Daily Episode observed that the tax imposed on the school amounts to 30,000, a figure not clear as to whether it is an annual, monthly or quarterly payment.
Every Business Must Pay Tax – official
Murtal Graba, head of outdoor activities at the Kaduna State Urban Planning and Development Authority (KASUPDA), revealed to Daily Episode that every business is mandated to pay tax according to the Kaduna State Tax Codification and Consolidation Law, 2020.
The law does not exempt any private school, whether owned by Muslims or Christians, as all are required to pay taxes for their businesses.
Therefore, we urge every citizen to cooperate with the state government by paying their taxes so that the government can develop the state through internally generated revenue.
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