Kehinde Fajobi
A new policy by the Kogi State government mandating students to present their parents’ tax clearance certificates before registering for school has drawn severe criticism.
This directive, which has upset parents, legal experts, and education advocates, is being challenged for violating the right to education.
In late November 2024, Sule Enehe, the Chairman of the Kogi State Board of Internal Revenue Services, issued a memo instructing schools to deny registration to students without verifiable tax clearance certificates from their parents.
This controversial move has prompted backlash across the state.
Arome Odoma, a local lawyer and human rights advocate, has filed a pre-action notice contesting the policy’s legality.
In his letter to Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo and Enehe, Odoma condemned the policy as unjust and inconsistent with basic principles of fairness.
He emphasised that education should be a right for all, not something contingent on parental financial matters.
“The memo from the Chairman of the Kogi State Board of Internal Revenue Services, dated November 26, 2024, instructs schools not to register students unless they can provide a parent’s tax clearance certificate,” Odoma stated.
“This policy is not only unjust but also an attempt to deny children their fundamental right to education.”
Odoma also questioned why children should suffer because their parents failed to meet tax obligations.
He argued that children should not be punished for issues beyond their control. He reinforced that education is guaranteed by law and should be free from such discriminatory practices.
Meanwhile, parent Elesho Emmanuel also denounced the policy, calling it both harmful to education and dehumanising, Vanguard reports.
He questioned why children should bear the brunt of their parents’ failures, suggesting that the governor may have been misled by advisers eager to increase tax revenue.
“This policy is bad and should be overturned immediately,” he added.
Sir Agabaidu Jideani, the National Commissioner for the Right to Education at the National Human Rights Commission, expressed concern about the impact of the policy.
While he recognised the need for tax compliance, he cautioned that it might inadvertently deprive children of their educational rights.
“I commend the Kogi State Government for trying to enforce tax compliance, but I believe this directive could prevent children from accessing education,” he stated.
Odoma has given the Kogi State government a deadline of January 10, 2025, to reverse the policy, warning that failure to do so will lead to legal action.