Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) has urged schools to introduce tax education awareness to boost compliance. The tax body wants regular tax awareness campaigns conducted in schools across the country to enable the public understand the importance of compliance For example the introduction of tax clubs in schools according to Drocelle Mukashyaka, the Deputy Commissioner for taxpayer’s services will help enhance tax education across the country. She said the idea is to create tax friends clubs in every school to help raise awareness on tax issues and benefits of paying taxes among students. “We believe such clubs would be the best channels through which the students will get knowledge about taxes,” she said. She explained that it is essential to sensitise young people to become better taxation policy makers and successful business people by being better taxpayers in the future. So far 14 tax friends clubs are operational in different secondary schools as well as in higher learning institutions. Anicet Ndazigaruye, the head teacher of Groupe Scolaire Kabare secondary school, welcomed the idea and said supporting students to understand tax matters will help boost efforts to mobilize resources locally. The revenue body recently launched the ‘Taxpayers’ Appreciation Day 2016’ under the theme, “Voluntary tax compliance, and the pillar for self-reliance.” The taxpayers’ appreciation day will be an annual event organised to recognise compliant taxpayers and their contribution to economic development of the nation. The revenue body targets to raise Rwf1, 084.4 billion for the 2016/17 fiscal year, which accounts for 55.6 per cent of the Rwf1, 949.4 billion National Budget. And as part of mechanisms to meet its targets, RRA, is banking on tax education and sensitization campaigns to boost compliance. As part of the efforts geared at strengthening tax administration, and enhancing tax collection, RRA has recently intensified sensitization campaigns across all sectors.
