Lagos Denies Imposing N20,000 Education Tax, Insists Education Remains Free.

The Lagos State Government has denied claims that parents must pay N20,000 before their children can enter public schools, saying basic education in the state is still free.

The issue came up on Monday during the groundbreaking ceremony for the Zumratul Islamiyyah Smart Primary School in Igbogbo, Ikorodu.

At the event, former Minister of Works, Adeseye Ogunlewe, raised concern over what he described as an education tax. He appealed to the government to drop the idea and keep public education free.

His words were blunt. He said parents did not want any N20,000 charge and warned that many families simply could not afford it.

Another speaker, Chief Asipa Olusanya, a former Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture and Cooperatives, also spoke strongly against the reported levy.

He warned that N20,000 may look small to some people, but many homes in Lagos struggle badly with basic needs. Some families are already finding it hard to feed. For such parents, asking for another N20,000 could be enough to stop a child from entering school.

Olusanya said any such charge could push more children out of school.

That warning struck at a real fear. When money becomes the gate to basic education, the poorest families usually suffer first.

The Lagos State Government, however, said the story had been misunderstood.

Mr Omotayo Sanni, the Tutor-General and Permanent Secretary of Education District II under the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, said there is no education tax of N20,000 in Lagos State.

He explained that parents are only expected to present their tax clearance certificates when registering their children in public schools.

According to him, the tax certificate is part of normal civic documentation. It is not a payment for school admission.

Once a parent has the required tax certificate and presents it during registration, the child can be registered without paying any school fee.

Sanni stressed that the government has not placed a N20,000 charge on access to public education.

That point was the centre of his response because the fear around the event was already spreading.

Parents hearing about an education tax could easily think free schooling had ended.

Sanni said that was wrong.

He added that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu remains committed to free and inclusive education across Lagos State.

The government, he said, still wants children to enter school without being blocked by school fees.

The difference is that parents are expected to meet normal civic requirements, including presenting valid tax documents where needed.

The explanation did not erase the concern raised at the event, but it made the government's position clear.

There is no N20,000 education fee.

There is a tax clearance certificate requirement during registration.

That distinction matters because one is a payment tied directly to school access, while the other is a document showing that the parent has met a general civic duty.

The event itself was also about a new school project.

Sanni praised the Igbogbo/Baiyeku Local Council Development Area for starting work on the Zumratul Islamiyyah Smart Primary School.

He described the project as a serious investment in children and said it could help prepare pupils for a world where technology is becoming more important every year.

The school is planned as a 30-classroom smart primary school.

The project is expected to take two years.

Chairman of Igbogbo/Baiyeku LCDA, Hammed Aroyewun, said the idea is to expose children to technology from an early age.

The school is expected to mix normal learning with digital skills, creativity and sustainability.

The plan is simple enough. Give children access to modern tools early, let them learn how to use technology, and help them build skills that can still matter years later.

Aroyewun said the project is part of a wider effort to prepare pupils for the future.

The groundbreaking ceremony also came at the same time as activities marking his first year in office.

So the event carried two messages at once.

There was celebration around the new school project, and there was also a heated public concern about whether parents would be forced to pay for basic education.

The second issue quickly became the louder one.

Babajimi Benson, who represents Ikorodu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, also spoke at the event.

He promised to continue supporting efforts that improve access to quality education in the area.

The Adeboruwa of Igbogbo Kingdom, Oba Abdulsemiu Kasali, praised the local council chairman for the project.

He also recognised President Bola Tinubu's support for development work in the community.

The smart school project was presented as one of those efforts aimed at giving children better learning conditions.

Still, the N20,000 issue could not be ignored.

People at the event were clearly worried about any move that could make public school harder to enter.

That fear is understandable.

For a wealthy family, N20,000 may disappear in one small expense.

For a struggling home, it can be food money.

It can be transport.

It can be rent support.

It can be the reason a child stays home for one more term.

That is why Ogunlewe and Olusanya pushed the matter so hard.

They wanted a firm answer.

Sanni gave one.

He said parents do not have to pay N20,000 to register their children in public schools.

They only need to present the required tax clearance certificate during registration.

Once that is done, the process can continue without any education fee.

The state government says basic education remains free.

The government also says it wants that access to remain open and inclusive.

At the same time, local authorities are pushing ahead with new school projects such as the 30-classroom smart primary school in Igbogbo.

The larger goal is to improve both access and quality.

That means more than putting children inside classrooms.

It also means giving them modern skills, better facilities and a learning environment that can prepare them for what comes next.

For now, the fear over a N20,000 education tax has been officially rejected by the state government.

Parents are still expected to show tax clearance documents.

They are not expected to pay N20,000 before their children can enter public schools.

That is the government's position, and Sanni made it clear at the event.