Private school proprietors in Bayelsa have decried multiple taxes and levies imposed on them by different agencies of Bayelsa Government.

Pastor Yeseme Moses, Chairman, National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Bayelsa chapter, expressed the concern, in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yenagoa on Sunday.

Moses said that the imposition of the taxes and levies such as registration of business premises, environmental levies, water rate and a host of others, was stifling the schools.

The chairman said that the practice was inimical to the overall growth of the education sector which the state government ironically wanted to enhance.

He said that the imposition of multiple taxes by agents of the state government who incessantly harassed them was regrettable and counterproductive.

Moses said that the association since its establishment in 2005 had been working for the advancement of quality education in the country in general and Bayelsa in particular.

He said that NAPPS remained committed to promoting the welfare and growth of private schools so as to complement the role of government in providing quality education for the citizenry.

He noted that the core values of NAPPS included professionalism, equity, religious tolerance, discipline, integrity and patriotism.

According to him, NAPPS played a dominant role in job creation as available data showed that each of the 700 private schools in Bayelsa employed between 15 and 20 workers.

“In spite of the huge progress recorded in public schools, the contribution of private schools in Bayelsa is tremendous and deserves assistance by all stakeholders,” Moses said.

Reacting, the Commissioner for Education in the state, Mr Markson Fefegha, said the ministry was also disturbed by the development.

“The practice is worrisome and there is the need to harmonise the revenue system; my ministry is not involved in the multiple levies; we only collect one approved fee.

“Our main area of work is in the quality control and quality assurance; we frown at people running substandard schools and encourage those who meet our standards to thrive.

“I will table the matter at the appropriate quarters because we have been getting the reports also.

“We do not want to stifle the private schools; we want them to grow,” Fefegha said.