Educating youth on taxation: Step towards better tax compliance

Tuesday, 11 March 2025 02:03 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Educating the youth, our future taxpayers, on taxation is crucial for enhancing tax compliance and boosting government revenue. Understanding this importance, the Committee for Research, Knowledge Mobilization, and Taxation (RKMT) of the International Chamber of Commerce Sri Lanka (ICCSL) recently conducted an educational awareness program for undergraduates at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Studies of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura.

The program was coordinated by University of Sri Jayewardenepura Head of ICT Professor B. W. R. Damayanthi with guidance from Head of the Department of Economics Professor K. G. G. Weerasinghe. Resource persons included RKMT Chair Dr. Nadee Dissanayake, and the committee members KPMG Principal of Tax and Regulatory Rifka Ziyard, and Ernst & Young Principal of Tax V. Shakthivel. The discussions focused on essential areas such as the requirement for tax registration, benefits, the rights and obligations of youth taxpayers, and the current tax laws.

To measure the program’s impact, pre-and post-assessments were carried out, covering key topics like tax principles, compliance, procedures, laws, and accessibility to information. The RKMT highlights the significance of integrating taxation into higher education curricula, arguing that it would help foster a culture of tax compliance in Sri Lanka.

The session was well-received by the undergraduates, who are eligible for initial registration with the Inland Revenue Department. Encouraged by the success of this initiative, RKMT plans to expand the program to other public and private universities. This marks the beginning of a series aimed at raising awareness and improving understanding of tax matters among the next generation of Sri Lanka’s taxpayers.

By equipping young people with knowledge about taxation, this initiative seeks to build a more informed, compliant, and responsible taxpayer base in the future.

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