The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, on Monday held an emergency meeting with the leadership of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) and other affiliated unions over the controversy surrounding the planned concession of King’s College, Lagos.
The meeting, which was also attended by the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad, and Acting Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Education, Dr. Folake Olatunji David, followed the disruption of academic activities in federal unity colleges by workers’ unions.
The unions had raised concerns over the Federal Government’s plan to concession King’s College to the King’s College Old Boys’ Association (KCOBA) under a public-private partnership arrangement.
Addressing the unions during the meeting, Alausa said the Federal Government remained committed to dialogue and the protection of workers’ interests, while stressing that stakeholders must also consider the national interest and the future of Nigerian children.
He said the reform was part of the education transformation agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, aimed at ensuring that Nigerian children have access to quality education.
The minister commended the unions for their commitment to workers’ rights and willingness to engage with government in resolving the dispute.
He also commended the Acting Permanent Secretary for returning from a scheduled official trip to London to address the concerns raised by the unions.
Alausa assured that the reform would be implemented responsibly, with due consideration for learners, teachers, non-academic staff and the effective management of public resources.
The Acting Permanent Secretary, David, assured the unions of the government’s commitment to ensuring a smooth transition and protecting the interests of affected workers.
She clarified that the workers would remain civil servants and would have the option of either remaining at King’s College under the new administrative arrangement or transferring to other schools within Lagos State, according to their choice.
David also disclosed that a committee would be constituted to facilitate the transition, ensure that all stakeholders were carried along and preserve the heritage and objectives of the 117-year-old institution.
Speaking on behalf of the unions, TUC General Secretary, Comrade Nuhu Toro, said the workers were seeking clarification on the proposed changes, particularly the use of the term ‘concessioning’.
Toro said the controversy had generated serious concerns among workers and resulted in the directive for staff of federal unity colleges and King’s College to down tools.
He, however, acknowledged that interventions at the highest level had brought the unions and government to the negotiating table.
The TUC secretary-general said the unions remained committed to resolving the matter through dialogue, particularly in the interest of children from poor and less-privileged backgrounds.
He said the unions and the Ministry of Education were ‘on the same page’ regarding the need to protect the future of Nigerian children and resolve the matter quickly.
The controversy followed protests by parents and other stakeholders at King’s College, Lagos, against the proposed concession of the institution to KCOBA.
The parents had described the plan as unacceptable and threatened legal action as well as resistance to the resumption of the new academic session.
ASCSN had also, in a communiqué issued after its meeting on September 10, directed workers in federal unity colleges not to resume academic activities until further notice over the proposed concession.
The union described the arrangement as an ‘assault and affront’ on the unity of Nigeria and expressed concern over the possible impact on thousands of workers in the affected schools.
However, Alausa had earlier dismissed reports that King’s College was being sold, insisting that the institution remained publicly owned.
He explained that under the concession arrangement, KCOBA would be responsible for financing, rehabilitating, modernising, operating and maintaining the institution.
The old boys’ association had earlier announced a N100 billion endowment fund as part of efforts to reposition the college.
The minister reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to continued engagement with the unions and other stakeholders to address legitimate concerns within the framework of the law and the ongoing education reforms.