More on concession of Unity Colleges

In the ongoing controversy surrounding the concession of King's College, Lagos, to the college's alumni for management and maintenance, progress has been made despite persistent opposition. While the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, has reportedly postponed the decision by two weeks and established a seven-member committee to review the agreement with the King's College Old Boys Association, fresh obstacles have emerged to obstruct the process.

The Association of Senior Civil Servants (ASCSN) has also taken a firm stance against the concession, shutting down the college and spreading its protests to other unity colleges across Nigeria.

However, amidst the controversy, there have been success stories of previously neglected unity colleges. Two such examples are the Oyo State Government's concession of Government College, Ibadan, to the college's alumni two years ago, and the even earlier concession made over a decade ago, in 2014, when Abia State Government took charge of Government College, Umuahia, through a public-private partnership.

This partnership has led to significant improvements at Umuahia, including the renovation of dilapidated structures, clearing illegal constructions, and the recruitment and training of teachers. The college is now considered to have "risen from the ashes," with a notable list of alumni that includes renowned figures like Chinua Achebe, Ken Saro-Wiwa, Christopher Okigbo, Ben Enwonwu, and Alexander A. Madiebo.

These success stories raise an important question: should the federal government continue to bear the burden of operating secondary schools in Nigeria? According to Dr. Mohammed Lawan Yahuza, who has served as a director in the Federal Ministry of Education, the budget for federal government colleges has, at times, exceeded the combined budget of universities.

Given the current financial constraints faced by universities, there is an emphasis on reconsidering the status of these federal secondary schools. The constitution of a federation, as stated by Dr. Yahuza, clearly defines responsibilities, with the federal government being responsible for tertiary education and state and local governments responsible for secondary and primary education, respectively.

It is argued that it is now time to implement this constitutional responsibility and allocate resources wisely to benefit the nation.