Unity Colleges to Reopen as Workers Suspend Strike Over King’s College Concession

The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) has suspended its strike over the controversial concession of King’s College, Lagos, paving the way for the reopening of the 115 Federal Unity Colleges across the country.

The decision followed a meeting involving the leadership of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), ASCSN and zonal coordinators of the Federal Unity Schools in Kano on Tuesday.

According to a communiqué issued after the meeting on Wednesday, the union leaders agreed to suspend the industrial action to allow a seven-member committee to review the concession document relating to King’s College.

The development comes about two weeks after ASCSN and the Parent Teacher Association of the Federal Unity Colleges shut down the schools in protest against the Federal Government’s decision to concession King’s College to its Old Boys Association.

The Federal Unity Colleges had initially been scheduled to resume on September 13.

However, workers under the ASCSN directed their members to boycott the resumption, arguing that the concession arrangement could have implications for the future of the Federal Unity College system.

The union leaders, at the latest meeting, reviewed the agreement reached between organised labour and the Federal Ministry of Education, as well as the concession document for King’s College.

Following their deliberations, they resolved to suspend the strike to enable the seven-member committee to examine the document and address the concerns raised by labour.

The union also noted that implementation of the King’s College concession had been placed on hold pending the submission of the committee’s report. ASCSN has two representatives on the committee.

The communiqué stated that, based on these developments, the zonal coordinators agreed with the national leadership of ASCSN that the industrial action should be suspended immediately while the committee carries out its assignment.

The decision was signed by the various zonal coordinators of the Unity Schools, representing the South-West, South-East, South-South, North-West, North-East and North-Central zones.

Parents Propose September 27 Resumption

Following the suspension of the strike, the Parent Teacher Association of the Federal Unity Colleges has proposed Sunday, September 27, 2026, as the date for students to return to their respective schools.

The PTA welcomed the suspension of the industrial action, describing it as an opportunity for the Federal Government, labour unions and other stakeholders to continue discussions and resolve the disagreement.

The statement, signed by the South-West Zonal Coordinator of the PTA Chairmen Association of Federal Unity Colleges, Ayopo Somefun, said parents and guardians were prepared to support the immediate restoration of academic activities across the schools.

However, the proposed September 27 date remains subject to confirmation by the Federal Ministry of Education.

The parents called on the ministry to urgently communicate its position on the proposed resumption date so that parents, students and school authorities could make the necessary arrangements.

The PTA also appealed to all parties involved in the dispute to sustain the dialogue and allow the seven-member review committee to complete its assignment without pressure.

According to the parents, the suspension of the strike should create an atmosphere for meaningful discussions between the Federal Government, Ministry of Education, organised labour, school authorities and other stakeholders.

They also called for the release or restoration of PTA staff affected by government action, urging that the matter be addressed as part of efforts to ensure a smooth return to academic activities.

Dispute Over King’s College Concession

The controversy surrounding King’s College intensified after the Federal Ministry of Education, in a letter dated September 4, directed the immediate handover of the institution to the King’s College Old Boys Association (KCOBA) following the conclusion of the concession agreement.

The ministry stated that a transition committee would oversee the handover process for six months, after which Federal Government funding of the institution would cease.

However, the government clarified that the arrangement did not amount to the sale or privatisation of King’s College.

The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, said the Federal Government would retain legal ownership of the 117-year-old institution, while KCOBA would take responsibility for financing, rehabilitating, modernising, operating and maintaining the school under the concession arrangement.

The workers rejected the concession, expressing concerns about its potential implications for the institution and the wider Federal Unity College system.

The disagreement escalated when members of the King’s College Old Boys Association, accompanied by police personnel, entered the school premises despite resistance from protesting workers.

On September 16, the Federal Government and organised labour reached an agreement to temporarily suspend implementation of the King’s College concession for two weeks.

The agreement also provided for the establishment of the seven-member committee to review the concession document and consider the concerns raised by the unions.

However, a faction of the ASCSN led by its National President, Shehu Mohammed, subsequently rejected the suspension and maintained that the strike remained in force.

With the latest decision by the union leadership and zonal coordinators to suspend the strike, attention is now focused on the review committee and the Federal Ministry of Education’s position on the proposed September 27 resumption date.

The development is expected to allow students across the Federal Unity Colleges to return to their schools while discussions over the King’s College concession continue.

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