The Ekiti Diocese of the Catholic church has threatened Ekiti state Governor Ayodele Fayose over his education development levy which is to be imposed on primary and secondary pupils in both state-owned and private schools in the state.
The new tax regime will impose N500 and N1,000 education development levy, respectively on pupils in primary and secondary schools.
But the catholic church has said it will not pay the money, advising the government to exempt its schools from payment.
Citing Ekiti State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) Law, 2005, the church said the state government had the mandatory obligation to provide free and compulsory education for every child of primary to junior secondary school classes.
Most Rev. Felix Ajakaye, Bishop of the diocese has stated all this in a press statement made available to journalists in Ado Ekiti on Thursday.
He threatened legal action against the government if they disturbed any of the schools under the Catholic church in the state.
“No law empowers the state government of Ekiti to impose Education Development Levy on pupils/students of mission schools in Ekiti state,” he said.
He believes that the Catholic church already pays enough levies and taxes on education and that this was just another way to burden parents.
“The Catholic Church in Ekiti land implores the state government to see the Church as great contributor to quality education and a formidable partner in the development of education in the state. Therefore, the status of the Catholic schools must be recognised as defined by their purposes and they should be treated accordingly,” Ajakaye concluded.
Culled from the Punch
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