Commissioner of Education, Prof Eustella Bhalalusesa.
The Ministry of Education and Vocational Training is preparing a student unit cost for basic education in order to harmonise fees in the sector where some privately owned schools have been accused of exploiting hapless parents and guardians.
The actual cost seeks to end complaints by various education stakeholders against private schools, which some have dubbed ‘business centres’.
The Commissioner of Education Prof Eustella Bhalalusesa told The Guardian last week in Dar es Salaam that the ministry is already at an advanced stage in the preparation of the unit cost that will cover primary and secondary schools.
The commissioner said according to the Education policy of 1995, all registered schools under the ministry are not allowed to do business, but provide services.
The ministry’s clarification comes amid complaints from stakeholders including owners of private schools who had protested over contradictions contained in various legislations that were against the Education Act section 28 (a) and the education policy.
After setting up the unit cost for basic education, the ministry will move on to evaluate the current tuition fees and set new fees rate for all private schools.
According to a letter availed to The Guardian detailing the suspension of the Skills and Development Levy (SDL) which was signed by Consalata Mgimba on behalf of the Permanent Secretary of Education: “After setting new tuition fees according to the unit cost, any private school failing to comply will be required to pay SDL.
Reacting to the government move, the Tanzania Association of Managers and Owners of Non-Government Schools and Colleges (TAMONGSCO) said the government will also have to revisit the levies collected from private schools. They include charges by the Fire Brigade, Tanzania Revenue Authority, SDL and the Occupational Health and Safety Authority (OSHA).
Tamongsco Secretary General Benjamin Nkonya claimed that apart from the other long standing levies that the government has been collecting from private schools, the Surface and Marine Transport Regulatory Authority (SUMATRA) has started seizing some school buses on grounds that the schools do not own licenses for transporting students.
Nkonya said the contradictions lie in Sumatra officials’ argument that schools were doing business while government legislations indicate that the schools were providing services. “Private schools are not required to pay for transport license,” he said.
Sumatra Public Relations Manager, David Mziray told this paper that the law requires all car owners that are transporting people including schools to acquire a transporting license.
Mziray said private school owners are doing business so they must pay for transporting license.
Recently Tamongsco Secretary of the Northern Zone, Leonard Mao told this paper that if the government did not address the claims of private school owners, then the association will seek legal interpretation from the court.
The actual cost seeks to end complaints by various education stakeholders against private schools, which some have dubbed ‘business centres’.
The Commissioner of Education Prof Eustella Bhalalusesa told The Guardian last week in Dar es Salaam that the ministry is already at an advanced stage in the preparation of the unit cost that will cover primary and secondary schools.
The commissioner said according to the Education policy of 1995, all registered schools under the ministry are not allowed to do business, but provide services.
The ministry’s clarification comes amid complaints from stakeholders including owners of private schools who had protested over contradictions contained in various legislations that were against the Education Act section 28 (a) and the education policy.
After setting up the unit cost for basic education, the ministry will move on to evaluate the current tuition fees and set new fees rate for all private schools.
According to a letter availed to The Guardian detailing the suspension of the Skills and Development Levy (SDL) which was signed by Consalata Mgimba on behalf of the Permanent Secretary of Education: “After setting new tuition fees according to the unit cost, any private school failing to comply will be required to pay SDL.
Reacting to the government move, the Tanzania Association of Managers and Owners of Non-Government Schools and Colleges (TAMONGSCO) said the government will also have to revisit the levies collected from private schools. They include charges by the Fire Brigade, Tanzania Revenue Authority, SDL and the Occupational Health and Safety Authority (OSHA).
Tamongsco Secretary General Benjamin Nkonya claimed that apart from the other long standing levies that the government has been collecting from private schools, the Surface and Marine Transport Regulatory Authority (SUMATRA) has started seizing some school buses on grounds that the schools do not own licenses for transporting students.
Nkonya said the contradictions lie in Sumatra officials’ argument that schools were doing business while government legislations indicate that the schools were providing services. “Private schools are not required to pay for transport license,” he said.
Sumatra Public Relations Manager, David Mziray told this paper that the law requires all car owners that are transporting people including schools to acquire a transporting license.
Mziray said private school owners are doing business so they must pay for transporting license.
Recently Tamongsco Secretary of the Northern Zone, Leonard Mao told this paper that if the government did not address the claims of private school owners, then the association will seek legal interpretation from the court.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
No Comment to " Student unit cost for schools in pipeline "