The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Federal Wing, on Thursday protested at the Federal Ministry of Education, Abuja, against the concession of King’s College, Lagos, to the King’s College Old Boys’ Association (KCOBA).
The protesters, led by the Chairman of the NUT Federal Wing, Emeka Okonta, described the concession as a threat to public education and called on the Federal Government to reverse the decision.
Okonta said the union strongly opposed any attempt to concession, privatise or sell King’s College or any other Federal Unity College.
“We believe that Federal Unity Colleges are public institutions established to provide quality education and equal opportunities for Nigerian children.
“They are national assets and should not be handed over to private interests under the guise of concession or any other arrangement that could undermine their public character,” he said.
He said any alumni association that had the capacity to establish and manage a school according to its vision should build a new institution rather than take over an existing Federal Unity College.
“Any Alumni Association that believes it has the capacity to establish, manage and run a school according to its own vision should demonstrate that capacity by acquiring virgin land, building a new school and managing it to its desired standard.
“It should not seek to take over an existing Federal Unity College built and maintained with public resources,” he said.
Okonta said the union would support every legitimate and lawful effort to stop the concession and resist any arrangement designed to transfer ownership of Federal Unity Colleges.
He warned that allowing the concession of King’s College to proceed could set a precedent for the concession or disposal of other Federal Unity Colleges.
“This is not a struggle for King’s College alone. It is our struggle.
“Today, it may be King’s College. Tomorrow, it could be another Federal Unity College,” he said.
He called on teachers, parents, alumni, stakeholders and well-meaning Nigerians to remain vigilant and support the union’s position through legitimate and lawful means.
“We cannot afford to remain silent. We cannot wait until another Federal Unity College is targeted before we act,” Okonta said.
Okonta, however, maintained that Federal Unity Colleges remained public assets belonging to Nigerians and should not be transferred to private interests.
He urged the Federal Government to reconsider the decision and protect the public character of the nation’s Federal Unity Colleges.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the protest followed a letter dated Sept. 4, 2026, from the Federal Ministry of Education, signed by the Director overseeing the office of the Permanent Secretary, Folake Olatunji-David.
The letter informed the Principal of King’s College, Lagos, that the college had been concessioned to KCOBA following the conclusion and signing of the Concession Agreement.
It said the Ministry of Education had concluded arrangements to hand over the college to KCOBA with immediate effect for the implementation of the agreement, including the constitution of a Transition Committee.
It stated that the committee would ensure a seamless transition of the college management to KCOBA within six months, after which funding of the college from the Federation Account would stop.
The Ministry also directed the principal of the school to facilitate the smooth transition and provide the Transition Committee with a list of staff willing to remain in the employment of the Federal Civil Service Commission.(NAN)
