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On February 24, the Chair of the RA NA Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture, Diaspora, Youth and Sport Mkhitar Hayrapetyan met with the Executive Director of the Armenian Association NGO of One Voice Independent Schools Shamam Gevorgyan, the Association members the Teacher of Ayb School Aram Pakhchanyan, the Co-Founder of Usum/Education Haykaz Navasardyan and Executive Director of Pokrik Ishkhan/Little Prince Maria Khakhamyan.

The legislative initiative presented by the executive power, by which it is designed to take taxes for the spheres of education and health by the value added tax (VAT), has been discussed. The taxation of the spheres is conditioned by the events directed to the reductions of the tax political rift.

In case of the adoption of the initiative, the private schools also will be taxed by VAT. The attendees considered the initiative concerning and controversial. In private schools, where about 10.500 pupils study, and about 1500 teachers teach flow of pupils will begin. According to them, the surveys have shown that great majority of parents cannot pay the education fee, which in case of being taxed by VAT will rise at least by 20%. Aram Pakhchanyan is convinced that the taxation by VAT not only will damage the sphere of education, but the state will suffer, and this decision will be of no use, therefore, it is necessary to revise it.

It has been noted that not only 8 private schools, being part of the abovementioned Association, but also other 38 private educational centres are against the investment of taxing by VAT the sphere of education.

Mkhitar Hayrapetyan has noted that he is not aware of the problem, and he thinks that the item needs additional debate.