Education
King’s College Concessioning: Labour Raises Alarm Over Plot To Privatise Unity Schools
The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) has raised the alarm over what it described as renewed moves to privatise Federal Government Colleges, popularly known as Unity Schools, warning that such a policy would make quality secondary education inaccessible to millions of Nigerian children and undermine one of Nigeria’s enduring symbols of national integration.
The union’s reaction followed reports that the Federal Government had approved the concessioning of King’s College, Lagos, to its Old Boys’ Association under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.
In a statement issued in Abuja and jointly signed by its National President, Shehu Mohammed, and Secretary-General, Joshua Apebo, the ASCSN warned that concessioning the college could set a dangerous precedent that might eventually lead to the transfer of the remaining 119 Unity Schools to private interests and political elites.
The union urged Nigerians to reject any attempt to privatise the schools, insisting that they remain a national asset that should be preserved for future generations.
According to the ASCSN, the Unity School system was conceived in 1966 by Nigeria’s first Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, to serve as model secondary schools where children from different ethnic, religious, social and economic backgrounds could study together and foster national unity.
It noted that the first three Unity Colleges were established in Okposi (later relocated to Enugu) for the former Eastern Region, Warri for the Western Region, and Sokoto for the Northern Region.
The union said there are now 120 Federal Government Colleges across the country, many of which remain among Nigeria’s most sought-after secondary schools because of the quality of education they provide.
The ASCSN also recalled previous attempts to phase out the schools, alleging that former Head of State and President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, first advanced the idea in 1978 that the Federal Government should not operate secondary schools.
According to the union, the policy resurfaced during Obasanjo’s civilian administration beginning in 1999, including efforts to dismantle the junior secondary sections of the Unity Schools as part of a broader plan to phase out the system.
The union said it successfully resisted the move through prolonged negotiations, a seven-week strike, legal action and nationwide mobilisation involving labour unions, students, parents, teachers, civil society organisations, religious leaders and traditional rulers.
It added that the campaign eventually succeeded in July 2010 when then-President Goodluck Jonathan directed the restoration of the junior secondary sections, thereby preserving the Unity School system.
The ASCSN argued that privatising the schools would also contradict Section 18 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which outlines the government’s responsibility to provide free and universal education at various levels.
To support its position, the union cited examples from developed countries, stating that the United States operates between 20,000 and 24,000 publicly funded secondary schools, the United Kingdom has about 4,200 publicly funded secondary schools, while Germany runs approximately 8,900 state-owned schools.
“These schools are publicly funded and managed. Since these are capitalist societies, we do not know where Nigerian politicians got the idea that government cannot run secondary schools,” the union stated.
It maintained that Old Boys’ Associations and private investors interested in operating secondary schools should establish their own institutions instead of seeking control of Unity Schools, which it described as the collective heritage of all Nigerians.
The ASCSN further warned that handing the schools over to private entrepreneurs could ultimately lead to the conversion of school facilities and their vast land holdings into hotels, shopping malls and other commercial ventures driven by profit.
The union called on the Federal Government to abandon any plan to privatise or concession Unity Schools and instead preserve and strengthen them as a lasting national legacy established by Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and sustained by successive administrations.
The Federal Government has suspended the recent hike of the fees for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination, WASSCE, and the National Examinations Council, NECO, Senior School Certificate Examination, SSCE.
The development follows backlash that trailed the increments.
The suspension was announced in a statement by the Director of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Education, Boriowo Folasade, on Monday.
According to the Federal Government, the June 18th, 2026 letter conveying the hike of WAEC and NECO fees has been withdrawn.
The government said the suspension was to give room for review and further engagement with stakeholders.
“The Ministry acknowledges the concerns and constructive feedback received from the public and appreciates the keen interest shown by Nigerians in matters relating to access to quality education.
“The proposed review was informed by the prevailing economic realities and the rising cost of conducting credible national examinations. The current examination registration fees have remained largely unchanged for several years despite significant increases in operational costs, including logistics, security, printing of examination materials, technology deployment, quality assurance, and other essential services required to maintain the integrity and credibility of public examinations across the country.
“Nevertheless, the Honorable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, has directed that the proposal be placed on hold in line with the federal government’s commitment to inclusive, transparent, and evidence-based policymaking.
“This decision underscores the ministry’s determination to ensure that policies affecting millions of Nigerian students and their families are carefully considered, socially responsive, and reflect the collective interest of the nation.
“As part of the fresh review process, the ministry will further engage extensively with examination bodies, state ministries of education, school proprietors and administrators, parents’ associations, organized labor, education stakeholders, and other critical partners to ensure that any future decision is fair, sustainable, transparent, and responsive to prevailing realities while safeguarding access to education.
“Accordingly, the proposed review of examination registration fees will not take effect, as earlier communicated, pending the conclusion of the consultation process.
“The Federal Ministry of Education reassures Nigerians that the welfare of students, equitable access to quality education, and responsible policy decisions remain at the heart of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for the education sector.
“The ministry appreciates the understanding, patience, and continued support of all stakeholders and remains committed to keeping the public fully informed throughout the consultation process,” the statement released by the Ministry of Education said.
Former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, has pleaded not guilty to allegations of forging his university degree and his NYSC discharge certificate brought against him by the federal government.
The former Minister, who was charged to court by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) was arraigned before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Nnaji is facing six counts of forging a degree certificate from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), and a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate submitted during his ministerial screening in 2023.
The charges further covered claims of receiving approximately N29.5 million in salary and emoluments under false pretenses, as well as money laundering allegations
After his plea of not guilty on Monday, the prosecutor informed the court that he was ready to proceed to trial, with three witnesses available in the courtroom already.
Ogwu Onoja, SAN, counsel for the defendant pleaded for more time to prepare for trial and informed the court of a pending application for bail filed on 9 July. The prosecutor did not oppose to the application for bail.
In a short ruling, the trial judge granted the defendant bail in the sum of N20million with one surety who must not be below level 15 in the Federal civil service. The surety must be residing in Abuja. Other terms of bail include that Nnaji deposits his official and personal passports.
Nnaji being charged to court follows months of investigation questioning the authenticity of his documents. Both UNN and the NYSC have reportedly disowned the certificates in question.
He was arrested on June 30, 2026, by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja upon his arrival from Enugu.
The arrest was executed following a Federal High Court order issued on June 11, 2026, after he allegedly failed to honor multiple invitations for investigative interviews.
Nnaji resigned from his ministerial position on October 7, 2025, describing the move as a “principled decision to respect the sanctity of due process” amid ongoing judicial proceedings, and denying any wrongdoing. He has previously described elements of the case as politically motivated.
The defendant is the governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party in Enugu State.
Law graduates of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) on Friday staged a peaceful protest at the university’s headquarters in Jabi, Abuja, accusing the institution of abandoning them and failing to mobilise them for admission into the Nigerian Law School despite years of completing their academic programmes.
The protesters, who carried placards and banners with various inscriptions demanding justice on Friday, called for their immediate admission into the Nigerian Law School, alleging that the university’s failure to carry out its administrative responsibilities has left hundreds of graduates stranded between 2019 and 2026.
Addressing journalists during the demonstration, the National President of the NOUN Law Graduates, Adefowora Adedeji, accused the university’s management of compromising their future and playing politics with the lives of graduates who have fulfilled all academic and administrative requirements.
According to him, the graduates had exhausted all official channels by writing several letters and complying with every administrative procedure, but the university authorities failed to perform their duty of mobilising them to the Nigerian Law School.
“We are law graduates of this university. They have abandoned us,” he said.”From 2019 to 2026, they refused to do their job. Their job is to ensure that we are mobilized to the Nigerian Law School. They abandoned us.
NOUN GRADUATES
“Professor Olufemi Peters, when he was doing his tenure, he told us that he would solve our problem. He refused to solve our problem. The new vice-chancellor, who is supposed to solve it, instead of solving it, they are playing politics with our lives.
“Many of our law graduates have died in the process, and that is why we are here to express our grievances. We are here because we want to put an end to administrative impunity and administrative arbitrariness. We want to stop this.
“We are not happy because we are not mobilised to the Nigerian Law School.”
The protesters insisted that the National Universities Commission (NUC) had accredited the university’s law programme, questioning why graduates are still being denied admission into the Nigerian Law School.
Adedeji further accused the Chairman of the Council of Legal Education, Chief Emeka Ndige, of applying double standards by approving admission for previous sets of NOU law graduates while allegedly rejecting the current batch.
“I am the National President of the NOUN Law Graduates. What we are saying is that under the National Universities Commission (NUC), they have accredited our law programme,” he said.
“And then, Chief Emeka Ndige, SAN, who is the Chairman of the Council of Legal Education, said our mode of education is not recognized. The same chairman gave our seniors, about 1,200 law graduates, admission into the Nigerian Law School. The same man is now rejecting us.
“Many of us are master’s degree holders. Many of us have PhDs in law, and yet they don’t want to accept us into the Nigerian Law School.”
He said the protest was aimed at exercising their constitutional rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression, citing Sections 39 and 40 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“We are here to express our constitutional rights. Section 40 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria says there is freedom of peaceful assembly, peaceful procession and association,” he said.
“Section 39 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria guarantees freedom of expression.”
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