Owners of private schools in Edo State have appealed to the state government to waive taxes and renewal fees, to reduce the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on proprietors.

Peoples Gazette in November reported how COVID-19 bit hard on private school teachers. 

Otubela Abayomi, president of NAPPS, a collective of private school proprietors, earlier told the Gazette that private schools were badly affected by the pandemic as some teachers were not paid salaries during the shutdown period, and loan collected was accruing interest. 

Chairmen of the  Edo State Association of Private School Owners of Nigeria, and Association for Formidable Educational Development, Ohis Emmanuel and Osaghie Erhunmwunse in a joint statement released Tuesday urged the State Government to provide palliatives for members whose data can be found in the State Inland Revenue Service, Pay-As-You-Earn records.

The groups however expressed sadness over their exemption from a government-stakeholders where agreement for the reopening of public places such as worship centers, social events among others were reached, “but consented to the continued closure of schools, whereas schools remain the most coordinated environment.”

They further assured the government of safe reopening of schools on February 1, 2021.

“Because this will enable our final year students to join their counterparts in the country to enroll for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) scheduled for April 2021″, the statement read.

State governor Godwin Obaseki in the second week of January announced the continued closure of schools till February 1, in the surge of the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic.