UNAIR NEWS – Excitement could be seen in Asto Ditoto Field, when Taxation D3 (Three-year vocational program) UNAIR held 2020 Tax Service (PPN 2020) on Sunday, March 15, 2020. The annual work program commonly referred as Tax Devotion invites local residents to participate in educational activities prepared by the student association.
PPN 2020 Executive Head, Edwardus Audre Budihardja explained that the theme for this year was “Serving and Educating to Build the Nation” where the student association of Taxation provides tax basic education to children aged 7-12 years. He added that the program also offered free tax consultations to local residents.
“The background of this program was that we were inspired by Japanese. In developed countries, children have been given basic insights about tax. Even though it seems unique to be taught to children, tax basic education itself is long-term, to optimize citizens’ compliance to pay taxes, “said the 2019 student.
Audre also said the children were introduced to tax using visual methods. With mosaic art, children divided into groups of about 5 people can arrange small pieces into various images. Audre said that the pictures were mascot images of events and public facilities, such as Bungkul Park and hospitals.
“Our aim is to show pictures of public facilities so they can be given insight that the function of tax is to look after these facilities which they certainly enjoy. So in the future, maybe they can tell their parents to pay taxes, or in the long run, they will be obedient to pay taxes because they know that the money they pay is for the common good, “said the SMAN 21 Surabaya alumni.
Free tax consult is also offered by Taxation D3 program student association. Audre said that the tax consultation was supported by UNAIR Tax Center. He added that local residents could ask and consult about anything related to taxes and would be given information and solutions.
Audre stated that the target of the community service program was to introduce young generation of Indonesia about taxation and its benefits to Indonesia, so the level of citizen compliance to pay taxes would improve. Taxation D3 program student association hoped that the public can better understand the positive impact of taxation in Indonesia.
“Unfortunately, the compliance of public to pay taxes has declined lately due to the stigma that taxes paid by the public are only enjoyed by state officials or embezzled. Here, we are also trying to remove the stigma and show the benefits of paying taxes, “concluded Audre.
Author: Pradnya Wicaksana
Editor: Khefti Al Mawalia
