Founder of the Aron and Christina Truss Foundation is calling for a review of the National Social Responsibility Levy (NSRL) in the hope that charities and electronic devices will be exempted.
Aron Truss has administered a programme in primary schools providing computers and tablets to students to help with their studies, particularly preparation for the Common Entrance Exam over the past seven years.
He said this year they were faced with an increase in costs because of the levy.
“It is very unfortunate that tax was levied on tablets. That has cost us ten per cent more this year than it should have and I really feel that charities and tablets should be exempted from the tax,” Truss said.
He was speaking yesterday morning at Sharon Primary where they donated 69 tablets to students of Holy Innocents and Sharon Primary schools.
This academic year, the Foundation will donate approximately 700 tablets at a cost of $210 each.
Truss said the levying of the tax on tablets and charities “was not the way to go” and asked the Cabinet to remove the additional cost.
Last year, the students received Samsung Galaxy tablets but this year they received the Amazon Kindle Fire. Truss said they had to source tablets which were comparable but at a slightly lower price so they could continue the project which started with a computer loan system in 2009. About five years ago, it changed to provide each Class Three student with a tablet.
There are 15 schools in the programme. Truss said other schools had requested to be a part, but they could not accommodate them.
“We have to try to grow the project gradually as we secure funding. It is important for us to continue at the schools once we add them… we are very careful how we expand …we have to try to sustain any school that we add,” he said. (LK)
