Faith-Based Schools Seek Tax Relief, Security Support

Stakeholders in the education sector have called on the Kaduna State government to provide tax relief for faith-based, non-profit institutions and to intensify efforts in addressing insecurity across schools in the state, especially in rural areas.

They made the call during the second education summit of the Catholic Archdiocese of Kaduna which brought together policymakers, educators, clerics and government representatives to deliberate on critical issues affecting the education sector in Kaduna and beyond.

In his address, the education secretary of the archdiocese, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Madaki, said the summit sought to enhance collaboration and innovation among stakeholders to improve the quality of education in the state.

Fr. Madaki highlighted high taxation and insecurity as challenges confronting faith-based schools in Kaduna, adding that Catholic institutions, despite being non-profit, were often taxed at the same rate as private schools, making operations financially challenging.

“We are not private schools driven by profit, yet we face the same tax burden. While we are not calling for a total waiver, there must be a reduction and special consideration for faith-based institutions that run on meager resources,” he said.

On security, he said schools in rural areas faced persistent threats of banditry and other forms of violence, leading to mass displacement of students and disruption of learning.

He urged the government to extend grants and benefits to students in religious institutions, stating that children in faith-based schools deserve the same access to public educational support as those in government schools.

Also speaking at the summit, Rev. Fr Dominic Umoh, the education secretary at the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, assessed the national education landscape and identified systemic issues, including poor infrastructure, insecurity, and inadequate remuneration for teachers.