The Nigeria Union of Teachers has criticised the Federal Government’s proposed transfer of the management of King’s College, Lagos, to the school’s Old Boys’ Association.
The union warned that the arrangement could weaken the government’s responsibility to provide affordable, accessible and quality education to Nigerian children.
NUT National President, Audu Amba, expressed concern over the development while speaking with The PUNCH. He described the 117-year-old institution as an important national asset that should continue to receive adequate funding and protection from the Federal Government.
According to Amba, King’s College and other Federal Unity Colleges were established to promote national integration, particularly in the years following the Nigerian Civil War. He argued that handing over the management of such an institution could be interpreted as a gradual move towards the privatisation of public education.
The union leader maintained that the government should focus on providing the resources required to preserve and improve the school rather than transferring its management to another body.
He explained that King’s College remains one of Nigeria’s most prominent symbols of national unity and educational excellence. Therefore, any investment required to sustain its legacy should be viewed as part of the government’s responsibility to the country.
NUT Questions Stakeholder Consultation
Amba also raised questions about the process that produced the concession proposal, claiming that teachers and their representatives were not sufficiently involved in the discussions.
He challenged the Federal Government’s assertion that relevant stakeholders had been consulted before the decision was announced. According to him, teachers play a central role in the daily operation of the school and should have been properly represented throughout the negotiations.
The NUT president acknowledged that the government might have good intentions. However, he said the failure to involve all affected parties had created suspicion and made the proposal appear unclear.
He added that the opposition from teachers and parents was largely connected to inadequate consultation and limited information about the terms of the agreement.
Another major concern raised by the union is the possibility that the concession could eventually result in changes to school fees and admission policies.
Amba warned that any significant increase in fees could prevent children from low-income families from gaining access to King’s College. He said the NUT would continue to oppose the proposal until the concerns of teachers, parents and other stakeholders were properly addressed.
Educationist Calls for Greater Transparency
Educationist Helen Idiong also called on the Federal Government to make the details of the concession agreement available to the public.
She said the absence of sufficient information had contributed to the growing fears and resistance surrounding the proposal.
According to Idiong, the government should publish the complete agreement and establish an oversight board comprising representatives of teachers, parents, labour unions, the Old Boys’ Association and other relevant groups.
She further noted that the government must clearly address concerns about a possible increase in school fees. This, she said, would reassure parents that admission to the school would remain fair and accessible to students from different economic backgrounds.
Idiong argued that broader consultation at the beginning of the process could have prevented the current disagreement. She identified transparency, effective communication and meaningful stakeholder participation as essential steps towards resolving the dispute.
FG Suspends Implementation for Two Weeks
Following days of protests and opposition from education-sector workers, parents and other concerned groups, the Federal Government agreed to suspend the implementation of the concession for two weeks.
The decision followed a meeting involving the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, and representatives of labour unions in the education sector.
As part of the resolutions reached at the meeting, the unions agreed to suspend their industrial action. The government also agreed to withdraw the police officers deployed to the school during the height of the disagreement.
A seven-member committee, which will include representatives of organised labour, is expected to examine the concession agreement and participate in further negotiations.
The dispute had disrupted the resumption of students in some Federal Unity Colleges and led to a confrontation at King’s College, resulting in the deployment of police personnel to the institution.
Government Denies Privatisation Claims
The Federal Government has maintained that the proposed arrangement does not represent the sale or privatisation of King’s College.
Alausa stated that legal ownership of the institution would remain with the Federal Government, which would also continue to provide oversight.
According to the minister, the concession is intended to attract additional resources for the rehabilitation and modernisation of the historic school while retaining its status as a government-owned institution.
He also said the arrangement would not automatically lead to an increase in school fees and that the government had no immediate plans to introduce a similar management model across other Federal Unity Colleges.
Despite these assurances, stakeholders have continued to demand greater clarity regarding the powers that would be granted to the Old Boys’ Association, the financial implications of the agreement and the possible long-term effects on students and employees.
The newly constituted committee is expected to review these concerns and recommend a way forward before the suspension period expires.
