Proprietor decries high taxes in private schools

Founder of Thomas Adewumi College, Oko (TAICO) Kwara State, Dr Johnson Bamidele Adewumi, has condemned high taxes imposed on owners of private educational institutions in the country.

Adewumi, who noted that such institutions were established to revitalise fallen standard rather than monetary gains, canvassed a more friendly tax policy.

Speaking at the grand finale of the 20th anniversary of his college, which also runs ‘A’ levels programme, Adewumi said, “Government has asked us to pay about N3.5m annually as ground rent. Government should not see education as a commercial venture. Instead, it should commend the efforts of the people using their resources to improve education standard.

He said he has no business investing in the education sector, if government is doing the right thing. “We give countless scholarships to indigent students, just as we have produced many leaders and technocrats who are well tutored to take over the duties of leadership in the country.”

According to him, the school built a 26-bed hospital for use by its host community.