King’s College concession: FG, unions meet as unity schools shut - Punch Newspapers

The Federal Government, led by the Minister of Education, Dr The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, on Monday met with the leadership of organised labour over the controversial concession of King’s College, Lagos. The meeting came as workers of the Federal Unity Colleges, under the auspices of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, enforced their protest against the arrangement, shutting the gates of the institutions nationwide and preventing students from resuming. The Federal Government had directed the immediate handover of King’s College to the King’s College Old Boys’ Association following a concession agreement, with a transition committee mandated to complete the process within six months. The government, however, said the institution had not been sold or privatised, maintaining that it retained legal ownership of the college. The controversy over the proposed 35-year concession, however, escalated on Monday as workers shut Federal Government Unity Colleges nationwide and barricaded the entrance to the Federal Ministry of Education headquarters in Abuja. The workers’ action disrupted academic activities in the unity colleges, with teachers and other employees barricading school entrances in several locations and preventing the commencement of the first term. In an effort to de-escalate the dispute, Alausa, on Monday, met with the leadership of organised labour over the controversy. The meeting was attended by the Trade Union Congress, the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria and other affiliated unions, as well as the Minister of State for Education, Prof Suwaiba Ahmad, and the Acting Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr Folake Olatunji-Davies. The meeting followed concerns raised by workers and organised labour over the proposed administrative arrangement, particularly the use of the term “concessioning” which the unions said had created uncertainty over the future of the institution and the employment status of its workers. Alausa said the engagement was part of the Federal Government’s broader education reforms under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, stressing that workers’ welfare must be balanced with the national interest and the future of Nigerian children. He said, “While workers’ welfare remains important, all stakeholders must also consider the national interest and the future of the nation’s children.” The minister commended the unions for their commitment to workers’ rights and their willingness to resolve the disagreement through dialogue, assuring them that the government would implement its reforms responsibly. He also commended the Acting Permanent Secretary for returning from a scheduled official trip to London, United Kingdom, to respond to the concerns raised by the unions. Alausa said the government would take into consideration the interests of learners, teachers and non-academic staff while ensuring effective management of public resources. Olatunji-Davies, on her part, assured the unions that the government was committed to a smooth transition and would protect the interests of affected workers. She clarified that workers at King’s College would remain civil servants under the proposed arrangement and would have the option of either remaining at the school or transferring to other schools within Lagos State, depending on their preference. She also said a committee would be constituted to facilitate the transition, ensure that relevant stakeholders were carried along and preserve the heritage and objectives of King’s College. But the TUC General Secretary, Nuhu Toro, said the unions were primarily seeking clarification on the proposed changes, particularly the meaning and implications of “concessioning.” According to him, the controversy had led to an instruction for workers in the unity colleges and King’s College to down tools, but interventions at the highest level had now brought the parties to the negotiating table. Toro said the unions were committed to resolving the dispute through dialogue, particularly because of the impact prolonged disruption could have on children from poor and less-privileged families. “We are on the same page on the future of our children,” he said, stressing the need for the parties to reach an agreement quickly. Established in 1909, King’s College is part of the Federal Government’s network of unity colleges and has historically been administered as a public institution. A visit by our correspondent to Federal Government College, Ijanikin, King’s College, Yaba, and Queen’s College, Lagos, on Monday, showed that the schools remained shut, with students who were expected to resume for the new academic session unable to gain access to the institutions. At the Federal Government College, Ijanikin, the Chairman of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria at the college, Ayo Hundeyin, said the workers were opposed to the concession because of concerns that it could make the schools unaffordable and threaten the future of public education. Hundeyin said, “The children are not coming as the Parent Teacher Association has asked parents to keep their children at home. The classes are empty. We are in solidarity with ourselves that we don’t want concessions. We want our school back.” FG targets 200 new telecom sites before December Tenant, lawyer bicker over alleged failed legal service delivery East-West Road: Two die as families slam N1bn suit against FG, firm She said the old students should support the government through a trust fund rather than taking over the management of the school. “If they want to assist the government, they can have a trust fund. They should not take over the school. It is not right,” she said. Hundeyin added, “What is workable is for them to create a trust fund. The amount of money that they have been calling is about N100bn. Let them create a trust fund that there will be availability of scholarships for the children, and fix amenities in the school. “We are not fighting government; we just want them to do things right, do the best for the children.” She said parents largely complied with the PTA’s directive to keep their children at home, adding that only one or two parents visited the school to ascertain whether students had resumed. The union chairman said members were concerned over a directive contained in the ministry’s circular asking teachers who wished to remain with the government to submit their names through their principals to the Federal Civil Service Commission. “In the circular from the ministry, the teachers were told that those who are interested in staying with the government should forward their names, through their principal, to the Federal Civil Service Commission. It means a lot,” Hundeyin said. She argued that asking teachers to choose whether to remain with the government or stay in the school amounted to putting their jobs at risk. “The government is the overseeing body. Telling the principal to hand over, as contained in that circular, is no. Let the running remain with the government,” Hundeyin said. She further expressed fears that the concession could eventually lead to a sharp increase in school fees. “We have fear that school fees will go up to N2m. How many parents in Nigeria today can afford to pay such an amount? It is unfair and uncalled for,” Hundeyin said. The workers across the Federal Unity Colleges, however, said they were awaiting the outcome of discussions between their national association and the government. The workers had, in a statement on Sunday, said they would not be intimidated by the Federal Government’s directive or threats of administrative sanctions over their refusal to resume. While the unions continued their protest on Monday, the King’s College Old Boys’ Association, which addressed journalists in Lagos, said it would not immediately respond to questions on the concession arrangement. The President of KCOBA, Kashim Ibrahim-Imam, said the association would hold a world press conference to address the issue. He, however, said the old boys were passionate about the institution and had made significant contributions to its development over the years. “I know how much sacrifice I’ve made. I sleep King’s College. I wake up King’s College. My contributions to King’s College have practically bankrupted me,” he said. Ibrahim-Imam said the association was eager to tell its side of the story, adding, “We are passionate about King’s College.” Also speaking, the Chairman of the 2026 King’s Week Planning Committee, Gbolahan Olayomi, said the old boys had made “super investments” in the college over the past year. He said the association’s investments in the college in the past year included a multi-million-naira NBA-standard basketball court and a N200m digitalisation intervention aimed at transforming the school’s learning experience. He said the digitalisation project was intended to turn the school into a world-class learning environment through the deployment of modern technology in classrooms. Olayomi also disclosed that a class set was upgrading the medical facilities of the college, while other interventions had been undertaken in sports, education and human capital development. According to him, the old boys also facilitated training for 100 students on sustainability and climate action, while the Federal Ministry of Education, through UBEC, donated five interactive flat-panel displays to the college. The association said the interventions were part of its continuing support for the institution. Monday’s press conference heralded the 2026 Kingsweek, which will end on September 20 with a thanksgiving service at Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina, Lagos and the KCOBA Annual General Meeting at the Ecobank Head Office, Victoria Island, Lagos. Kindly share this story:

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