Jamiu Alli-Balogun, the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education in Lagos State, has shed light on the ongoing controversy surrounding the payment of a N8,100 tax levy as school fees for pupils and students for the academic year 2023/2024
This clarification comes in response to criticism from parents and guardians.
Jamiu emphasised that taxation serves as a crucial source of internally generated revenue for the government, enabling it to meet the demands of the public and contribute to developmental initiatives aimed at providing essential services to citizens.
It’s essential to note that Lagos State Government’s free education policy remains in effect from kindergarten to SS3. However, tax payment is regarded as a civic duty and obligation that every parent must fulfil. To facilitate this process, staff from the Lagos Internal Revenue Service (LIRS) are assigned to schools to streamline tax payments by parents.
Parents who have already paid their taxes are not required to make additional payments but should present their tax certificates for authentication and verification. LIRS staff can instantly assist with this documentation, preventing any instances of double taxation.
It is crucial that receipts for tax payments are promptly issued to ensure that tax payments are not collected in a bundled manner using a single surname for multiple pupils or students. This practice is unacceptable unless the pupils and students share the same parents. The commissioner explained
