Every year, thousands of young people step into adult life without the faintest idea of how the tax system works. A few specialised university courses may touch on taxation, but for most citizens, the learning comes much later and often the hard way. A new employee receives their first payslip and is shocked to discover deductions they never expected. A small business owner finds out about penalties only after breaking a rule they never knew existed. A freelancer realises too late that income declarations are mandatory. Tax payment is compulsory for every eligible citizen, yet tax education is not. This gap is a major weakness in our education system.
Regardless of what a student studies—arts, science, humanities, or technical subjects—they are all future earners. Just as employment becomes a certainty, so does tax liability above a certain income bracket. Therefore, tax literacy should be viewed as a core part of civic education. It must be taught at school, just as we teach mathematics, ICT, and science. The logic is simple: society runs on the contributions of its citizens. Our schools, hospitals, roads, public safety services, and digital platforms all operate because of tax revenue. If young people do not understand how taxes work, they may view government processes with suspicion, feel disconnected, or see taxes as a burden rather than a responsibility.
However, once they understand that tax is the price we pay for development, public services, and collective progress, their perception changes. They begin to see themselves as contributors to national growth, not passive beneficiaries. Better financial knowledge leads to better personal decisions and greater civic awareness. Yet many secondary school graduates cannot explain what taxable income is, how a tax return is filed, or why invoices and receipts matter. Terms like VAT, withholding tax, and tax credits are unfamiliar to them.
This lack of understanding exposes young people to real risks: costly mistakes, misinformation, exploitation, and a general mistrust of public institutions. Whether they enter jobs, freelancing, or small businesses, ignorance of basic tax rules puts them at a disadvantage. A student who knows how income tax is calculated, how deductions work, or how to submit a simple return is better equipped to make smart financial decisions. For young entrepreneurs and self-employed workers, tax literacy is even more important. Many small businesses fail to comply with rules simply because they do not know them. A few hours of tax lessons at school could save them years of confusion and hardship.
Including tax education does not require a dramatic overhaul. Just as ICT gradually built a new generation of digitally skilled youth, tax education can help build a generation of responsible, revenue-aware citizens. Some argue that students already have too much to study. But consider this: many students spend years learning advanced geometry or trigonometry—knowledge they may never use again if they pursue careers in literature, languages, or social sciences. Yet they invest the time and effort because the curriculum demands it. Therefore, if students can learn abstract equations and complex chemical formulas, they can certainly learn how to read a payslip or calculate taxable income.
Countries that want to increase tax compliance or move towards a modern, citizen-friendly revenue system will need such a tax-literate population. The student who learns about taxes at age 15 will—by age 25—view taxes not as an inconvenience but as a civic duty. No country can strengthen its revenue system if its people do not understand how taxation works. And no citizen can make sound financial decisions without basic tax knowledge. If tax payment is mandatory, then understanding tax must also be mandatory. If we want responsible, informed and active citizens, we must introduce tax education at school. The foundations of national development are built in the classroom, and it is in the classroom that tomorrow's tax-aware, accountable citizens will be shaped.
Md Mominur Rahmanis assistant professor at the Bangladesh Institute of Governance and Management (BIGM). He can be reached at [email protected].
Views expressed in this article are the author's own.
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