LE 10 tax imposed on private universities' students for martyrs' fund

CAIRO - 23 January 2019: Egyptian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research ordered collecting LE 10 ($0.56) from each of the students of private higher institutes and universities as contribution to a national fund honoring martyrs.

The fund aims at "honoring martyrs; victims; missing persons;and the injured of military, terrorism and security operations and their families," according to a decree published in Egypt's official gazette.

The decree obliges private higher institutes and universities to collect the contribution from students who are currently enrolled in these universities, for one time only. However, new students will have to pay the money every year.

In March 2018, President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi signed a law bill to establish a fund honoring the victims of terrorist attacks.

The law, which was passed by the Parliament prior to Sisi's endorsement, is applied to the police and army personnel and civilians who were killed or wounded in terrorist acts.

The fund is meant to provide schooling and employment opportunities and appropriate health services for the victims' families, in addition to paying their subscription fees at various youth centers and any other sports activities.

It is tasked with facilitating the measures for the victims' families to go on a pilgrimage and with naming popular streets and squares after the names of police and army martyrs.

Upon enacting the law, a LE 5 tax is set to be imposed on the licenses of weapons and driving, police certificates, tickets for concerts and festivals, applications for enrolling in military and police colleges and institutes, foreigners’ residence visas, as well as work permits for Egyptians working for foreign bodies.

The tax will also be collected from those applying for a request of proposing public tenders, real estate contracts and government supplies, as well as the establishment of private or international schools.