- Safiu Kehinde
Parents and students of Kings College school in Lagos have staged a protest over the Federal Government’s proposed concession of the school to the King’s College Old Boys Association (KCOBA).
The aggrieved parents and students stormed the school on Thursday with placards and banners as they expressed their disapproval of the plan.
They threatened to take legal action and prevent the resumption of the next academic session, scheduled for September 13.
According to reports, KCOBA, the school’s alumni association, met with the Federal Government to take over the administration of the prestigious school.
The association was said to have started parading itself as the new owner of the school.
This had prompted the demonstration by the parents and students who rejected any attempt to transfer the management or ownership of the school to a private entity.
The protesters insisted that King’s College remains a federal government institution and should continue to be managed in the public interest.
Videos shared on X showed the protesters with placards bearing different inscrpitions.
Addressing journalists during the protest, a representative of the parents said the group had previously raised its concerns at its annual general meeting and written to the Federal Ministry of Education and the Presidency over the reported concession plan.
“We are here this morning as parents and students of King’s College Lagos to go on a peaceful protest against the purported and planned concession of King’s College Lagos to King’s College Old Boys Association,” the representative said.
The protesters accused KCOPA of creating the impression that it had already taken ownership of the school, describing such claims as unacceptable.
“The KCOPA keeps going around to tell the whole world that they now own King’s College Lagos. We are saying that it is not true,” the parents’ representative said.
The group held that the old students should instead support their alma mater through voluntary contributions and development projects rather than seek control of the institution.
“We expected them to give back to the school voluntarily, generously, but now they are saying they want to take over the school,” the representative added.
The parents held that a private association comprising of businessmen cannot manage an institution of King’s College’s stature.
They alleged that members of the old boys’ association were approaching the proposed arrangement from a business perspective.
“Now, KCOPA, we see them as businessmen. They cannot run an educational institution of this magnitude,” the protesters said.