Exempt charges on school fees in E-Levy, YAFO calls on government

Nana Kwadwo Dwamena, Co-Founder and Programmes Manager of the Young Africans for Opportunities (YAFO), has called on the Government to exempt money transfer payments for school fees at tertiary institutions in the E-Levy bill currently before Parliament.

He noted that the E-Levy bill had created certain exemptions, but has excluded money transfer payment for school fees at public and private tertiary institutions.

He explained that the increased use of mobile money meant that E-Levy would affect every individual who engaged in electronic transfer, including students and parents who would be paying fees and other costs via banks and mobile money transfers.

Mr Dwamena who made the call in a press statement copied to the GNA said there was the need to exclude students who may rely on such money transfers to pay their school fees.

He noted that since the Government had already exempted transfers for payment of taxes, fees, and charges on government activities, it would be prudent to expand the exemption to cushion students and parents especially, during payment of school fees and other bursaries to public universities.

Mr Dwamena pointed out that it was important to exclude transfers for the payment of school fees at the tertiary level, including private tertiary education institutions since it would be helpful to cushion students and parents from the double agony of school fees payment and E-levy charges on school fees payment.

“It is imperative that exempting school fees payment will not only deepen government commitment to education but will lessen the tax burden on students as well”, he emphasized.