NLC Opposes Concession Of King’s College, Warns Of Rising Fees

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has opposed plans to concession the management of King’s College, Lagos, to the school’s alumni association, warning that the move could set a precedent for the concession of other Federal Unity Colleges.

In a statement signed by its President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, the NLC said the proposed concession had triggered protests from various groups, despite the concerns that prompted the old students’ association to seek greater control of the institution.

According to the labour centre, years of inadequate funding, neglect, corruption, indiscipline and deteriorating infrastructure had reduced what was once regarded as one of Nigeria’s foremost secondary schools.

The NLC acknowledged that the King’s College Old Boys Association was motivated by concerns about the institution’s declining state and a desire to restore the school’s former standards.

However, it argued that transferring management of the college to the alumni could create wider implications for public secondary education, particularly if the arrangement becomes a model for other Unity Colleges.

“Their bid to take over the school was therefore out of sincere concern to restore the glory of the school.

However, buried in this noble initiative lurks a grave danger to our secondary school education under government supervision. Once the King’s College Old Boys initiative succeeds, relying on precedent, other Unity Colleges will be concessioned to nebulous entities, entities of doubtful origin without the capacity to manage secondary school education, akin to the Daily Times story.

Coupled with this, soon enough new school fees and tariffs will place the colleges out of the reach of students from average families, no matter their intellectual endowments”, the statement reads in parts.

The congress warned that subsequent concessions could involve organisations with uncertain capacity to manage public secondary education, potentially undermining the government’s responsibility to provide affordable education.

It also expressed concern that concession arrangements could eventually result in higher school fees and other charges, making Unity Colleges inaccessible to students from average-income families, regardless of their academic ability.

The NLC maintained that educating citizens remains a responsibility of the state and should not be transferred to private or other entities simply because public institutions face funding and management challenges.

It noted that the government had previously taken over schools from missionary organisations, arguing that the continued responsibility for their funding and management should remain with the state.

The congress further pointed to publicly funded educational institutions in developed economies as evidence that government ownership and funding of schools remained viable.

It therefore called on the federal government to reject the concession of King’s College and other Unity Colleges, urging it instead to adequately fund and maintain the institutions.

The statement added, “We endorse the protests against the concessioning of King’s College, and indeed, other Unity Colleges.

We urge the government to adequately fund and maintain those colleges in recognition of their noble contributions to our history and society. Their contributions to unity at an impressionistic age and quality education cannot be quantified.

So, rather than sell the schools through the back door, the government should maintain or sustain the culture of open competition between missionary schools, private schools and government schools”.