Unity Colleges Strike Suspended As PTA Proposes September 27 Resumption

The strike by staff of the Federal Unity Colleges has been suspended, with the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) proposing September 27, 2026, for students to return to school.

The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) suspended the strike over the Federal Government’s concession of King’s College, Lagos, following a meeting with the leadership of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) and zonal coordinators of the Unity Schools in Kano on Tuesday.

In a communiqué issued on Wednesday, the union leaders said the strike would be suspended to allow a seven-member committee to review the concession agreement for King’s College.

The strike began after ASCSN and the PTA shut down the Federal Unity Colleges over the government’s decision to concession King’s College to its Old Boys Association.

The schools were originally scheduled to reopen on September 13, but workers refused to resume, arguing that the concession could affect the future of the Federal Unity College system.

The union said the concession had been placed on hold pending the report of the seven-member committee, with ASCSN having two representatives on the committee.

“Considering the above, the Zonal Coordinators of the Unity Schools agreed with the National Leadership of the ASCSN that the strike be suspended immediately while awaiting the report of the committee,” the communiqué stated.

The communiqué was signed by the zonal coordinators of the Unity Schools from the six geopolitical zones and the Federal Capital Territory.

Following the suspension, the PTA proposed Sunday, September 27, 2026, as the date for students to return to school.

The PTA welcomed the suspension of the strike and said it was ready to support the immediate resumption of academic activities.

However, the parents said the proposed resumption date would depend on confirmation from the Federal Ministry of Education.

They urged the ministry to announce its position on the September 27 date promptly to enable parents to make the necessary arrangements.

The parents also called on the government and labour unions to continue their discussions while allowing the seven-member committee to complete its review.

They further appealed for the release or restoration of PTA staff affected by the government’s actions.

The dispute over King’s College began after the Federal Ministry of Education directed the immediate handover of the school to the King’s College Old Boys Association following the concession agreement.

The ministry said the transition would be completed within six months, after which Federal Government funding for the school would stop.

However, the government said the arrangement was not a sale or privatisation of King’s College.

The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, said the Federal Government remained the legal owner of the 117-year-old institution, while the Old Boys Association would be responsible for funding, rehabilitation, modernisation, operation and maintenance.

On September 16, the Federal Government and organised labour agreed to suspend implementation of the concession for two weeks and set up a seven-member committee to review the concession document and address concerns raised by the unions.

However, a faction of the ASCSN led by its National President, Shehu Mohammed, rejected the suspension at the time and insisted that the strike remained in place.

With the latest decision by the union leadership to suspend the strike, attention is now on the Federal Ministry of Education to confirm whether students will return to the Unity Colleges on September 27.