AS the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) is concluding arrangements for the nationwide conduct school personnel audit, the Newly elected National President of National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Chief Yomi Otubela, has urged owners of private schools to cooperate with the Commission in the data capturing exercise.
Otubela said contrary to insinuations in some quarters that the National Personnel Audit (NPA) would lead to multiple taxations of the private schools, the exercise, he said would enable the government include children in private schools in national planning for the education sector.
Otubela made this clarification during the weekend at a meeting and training workshop for UBEC and States Technical teams on Basic Education Data update in Ado, Nasarawa State.
He noted that the education sector in Nigeria is faced with numerous challenges requiring reliable data for effective planning to address.
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He said NAPPS had gotten the assurance of UBEC that the exercise would not be used for multiple taxations.
“It is a civil responsibility to ensure adequate records of children. We have assurance from UBEC that data collated is for educational development and no relation with taxation or levy.
He urged the government to see private schools as partners of progress in the educational sector.
He pleaded with the government to ensure that private schools are able to access funds for development at a single-digit rate.
He said the new national executive of NAPPS would embark on continuous capacity building for members, seek to curb malpractices, sensitisation and advocacy to enhance the standard and embark on environmental advocacy to plant trees and promote efficient waste management.
The new National Secretary, Comrade Ajibade Augustine, described the exercise as a welcome development, saying without data, you cannot plan well.
Also speaking, the Nasarawa State Chairman, NAPPS, Hon Boniface Iornumbe, pleaded with the government to put private schools in the forefront.
He said the data capturing exercise will reduce problems in the educational sector.
Iornumbe pledged support of the state chairman for the new national president and his executives.