In commemoration of the inaugural National Students Tax Day (NSTD), Lucia Maxma Welwolie, a student advocate, has emphasized the importance of educating Liberian youth, and students on taxation and its role in national development.
Welwolie, a 12th-grade student at Innovation Preparatory Academy International, in an engaging speech delivered at the nation’s inaugural National Students Tax Day (NSTD) on Thursday, November 21, highlighting the origins and significance of NSTD.
Addressing policymakers, students, and educators, she also emphasized the importance of empowering future leaders with taxation knowledge and its role in national development.
The eloquent 12th grader urged the relevant authorities to form a technical working group to ensure the comprehensive implementation of STEP in the national curriculum. She also proposed the formal recognition of National Students Tax Day as an annual working holiday to amplify its importance and reach across the nation.
The Student Tax Education Program (STEP), established by the Liberia Revenue Authority in 2017 in partnership with the Ministry of Education and supported by the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), is aimed at instilling civic responsibility in students.
The signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in 2022 between LRA, MoE, and WAEC Liberia marked a significant stride in integrating tax education into the secondary school curriculum, preparing students for their future roles as responsible and knowledgeable members of society.
Key objectives of the STEP initiative include building early tax morale, reinforcing the social contract between citizens and government, incorporating tax education into the national curriculum, enhancing taxpayer consciousness, and exploring career opportunities in tax-related fields.
Welwolie illuminated the objectives of the Student Tax Education Program (STEP) and urged stakeholders to ensure its full integration in Liberia’s civic curriculum. She proposed the establishment of National Students Tax Day as an annual event to promote tax awareness and significance among students.
“National Students Tax Day is a milestone in empowering us—the future leaders of Liberia—with the knowledge of taxation and its role in nation-building,” Welwolie declared.
Welwolie outlined STEP’s objectives, which include promoting voluntary tax compliance and integrating tax education into Liberia’s national civic curriculum. She called on stakeholders to revisit a 2022 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the LRA, MoE, and WAEC Liberia to ensure the program’s full implementation across all secondary schools.
“Let us rally behind the call to recognize National Students Tax Day as an annual working holiday,” she urged, advocating for its expansion to enhance awareness and significance.
In her deliberation, Welwolie emphasized that through STEP, students are not only learning about taxes but are also being empowered to become informed and engaged citizens contributing to Liberia’s development.
The program serves as a platform for the youth to take ownership of the nation’s progress and build a tax-conscious generation for the future.
Meanwhile, the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), in partnership with the USAID-LEAD Activity and the Ministry of Education (MoE), organized the nation’s inaugural NSTD With the theme “Moving to Billions: Celebrating Taxpayers’ Impact,” the event highlighted the importance of tax education in cultivating a prosperous and law-abiding society.
