KCOBA clarifies: No plans to buy King’s College Lagos

The Joint Workers Council of the Federal Ministry of Education has rejected the suspension of industrial action announced by the Trade Union Congress (TUC), demanding that King’s College, Lagos, rescind a recent concession. Chairman Abraham Onuche announced this during a protest at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja, stating that the unions were not part of the TUC’s decision-making process.

Onuche emphasized that the proposed concession of King’s College, which the unions view as harmful to public education, was the reason behind the three-day protest. The unions barricaded the ministry’s entrance to draw attention to their concerns, expressing surprise at TUC’s decision to suspend the action despite not directly participating.

They had previously written to the Minister of Education on July 6 to discuss their issues, but have not received a meeting. The unions are seeking dialogue and consultation on the matter, particularly regarding the potential impact on teachers and students at King’s College. Additionally, they question the plan to relocate affected teachers to other schools in Lagos.

Speaking on behalf of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, Chigozie Ngadi highlighted the union’s focus on safeguarding access to quality education, especially for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. The dispute originated from the Federal Government’s decision to concession King’s College and has now escalated into industrial action.

A committee was formed to review the unions’ concerns, while TUC indicated that the suspension is temporary. The Federal Government is currently working on reforms in Nigeria’s education sector, including the development of a national ranking system for tertiary institutions under the Nigeria Education Data Initiative (NEDI).