The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has kicked against plans to concession King’s College, Lagos, and other Federal Unity Colleges.
The NLC President, Joe Ajaero, made the position known in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday amid growing concerns over the proposed arrangement.
Ajaero said opposition to the concession had emerged from groups and individuals concerned about the future of the affected schools and the broader management of public secondary education.
He acknowledged the concerns that prompted King’s College Old Boys to seek greater involvement in the management of the institution, particularly years of inadequate funding, poor maintenance, alleged corruption, indiscipline and declining standards.
According to him, the alumni initiative may have been driven by a desire to restore the school’s former standard, but he argued that transferring its management to a private entity could create wider consequences for the Federal Unity College system.
Ajaero warned that approving the proposal could establish a precedent for similar arrangements involving other Unity Colleges.
He expressed concern that subsequent concessions could be granted to organisations without sufficient experience or capacity to manage public secondary schools.
The NLC president also raised the possibility that privately managed Unity Colleges could introduce fees and other charges that would place them beyond the reach of many families.
He maintained that providing education remained a responsibility of government and should not be transferred to private interests solely because public schools were facing funding and management challenges.
“The obligation to educate its citizenry resides with the State. It is a duty it cannot abdicate,” Ajaero said.
He argued that the Federal Government should continue funding the colleges, pointing out that government had previously assumed responsibility for schools established and operated by missionary organisations.
Ajaero questioned why government-funded education should be considered unsustainable in Nigeria when public funding remains part of education systems in several developed countries.
“Even in advanced economies, there are quite a number of schools, including universities, that are funded by government. Why would our case be different?” he asked.
The NLC subsequently expressed support for protests against the proposed concession of King’s College and other Federal Unity Colleges.
Ajaero urged the government to address the challenges confronting the schools through increased funding, improved infrastructure and stronger management rather than concessioning them.
He said the Unity Colleges had played an important role in promoting national integration and providing quality education to students from different parts of the country.
Rather than transfer the schools to private operators, he called for a system in which government-owned institutions could compete with missionary and privately run schools while maintaining public access.
“Rather than sell the schools through the back door, government should maintain or sustain the culture of open competition between missionary schools, private schools and government schools,” he said.
Ajaero urged the government to preserve the Federal Unity Colleges and provide the resources required to maintain their standards and continue their contribution to national development.
He also questioned the extent to which public institutions should be subjected to concession arrangements under a market-driven economy.
“Finally, even as we run a market economy, what will be too sacred for government to concession?” he asked.