VAT on English medium schools’ fees: SC upholds HC verdict until next hearing

The Supreme Court today upheld until further order a High Court verdict that declared collection of value added tax (VAT) on the tuition fees of the students of English medium schools illegal.

The Chamber Judge of Appellate Division of the SC Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain did not pass any order on a petition seeking a stay on the HC verdict.

The Chamber Judge sent the stay petition to the SC's full bench for hearing the petition on January 2 next year.

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam told The Daily Star that the HC verdict declaring imposition of VAT on the tuition fees of English medium students illegal will remain in force until further order of the SC.

On December 12, the HC declared illegal the collection of VAT on the English medium schools' tuition fees.

The imposition of the VAT is discriminatory and contradictory to the constitution, the court said.

The VAT cannot be imposed on the English medium schools' tuition fees from January next year, it added.

The bench of Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury and Justice Mozibur Rahman Miah delivered the verdict after hearing a writ petition filed challenging the legality of the VAT imposition.

Earlier, the HC on September 17 last year stayed for six months the collection of VAT on tuition fees of English medium school students.

The HC's decision came amid anti-VAT demonstrations by guardians, students and teachers of English medium schools in the capital.