Students at Bishop Stuart University (BSU) are turning their tax knowledge into meaningful community service after participating in a tax education training organized by the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) under its Volunteer Income Tax Assistant (VITA) program. The initiative aims to equip students with practical skills that enable them to support people in their communities with tax-related services.
One of the beneficiaries, Kato Williams Tukwatse, the Publicity Secretary of the BSU Tax Society, shared that the training has empowered him to assist residents by filing tax returns and offering guidance on tax compliance. His experience demonstrates how young people can become key resource persons in promoting understanding of the tax system.
During the sessions, led by Isaac Aijuka, Acting Supervisor for Tax Education Outreach in Southwestern Uganda, students were encouraged to engage actively with the tax system and recognize their role in promoting voluntary compliance. The training also included demonstrations of URA’s digital services by tax education expert Ivan Kamukama, showing students how to register for a TIN, file returns, and access other essential tax services via the URA online portal and mobile application.
The Patron of the BSU Tax Society, Mwebesa Arnold Nehayo, expressed gratitude to URA for its continued efforts in tax education, emphasizing that the knowledge gained equips students for life after graduation while making previously complex tax services more accessible.
The VITA training is part of URA’s broader engagement with universities across Uganda. By nurturing student ambassadors for voluntary tax compliance, URA aims to create a generation of informed citizens who can influence tax understanding and compliance within their communities.
