Workers under the Joint Workers Council of the Federal Ministry of Education have rejected the Trade Union Congress (TUC) decision to suspend industrial action over the proposed concession of King’s College, Lagos.
The workers said they would continue the action and keep affected Federal Unity Colleges closed until the government addresses their demands and reverses the concession decision.
The dispute centres on the Federal Government’s plan to transfer the management and operation of the 117-year-old King’s College to the King’s College Old Boys Association under a proposed 35-year concession arrangement.
The government has maintained that the arrangement does not amount to the sale or privatisation of the institution. Education Minister Tunji Alausa said the Federal Government would retain legal ownership of the school, while the concessionaire would assume responsibility for financing, rehabilitation, modernisation, operation and maintenance.
However, the unions have opposed the arrangement, arguing that it could create a precedent for similar concessions involving other Federal Unity Colleges.
Joint Workers Council Chairman Abraham Onuche said the TUC had no authority to suspend an industrial action it did not directly participate in or coordinate. He said the unions had been seeking discussions with the Education Ministry over their concerns but had not received the engagement they expected.
The workers have also expressed concern about the effect of the concession on teachers and other employees of King’s College, as well as the wider future of Federal Unity Colleges.
According to the unions, their opposition is not limited to employment issues but also concerns access to affordable public education. They argue that any partnership intended to improve infrastructure should preserve public ownership and ensure that children from less privileged families can continue to access quality education.
The disagreement has also affected the reopening of Federal Unity Colleges across the country. Earlier reports indicated that workers in 115 Federal Unity Colleges had refused to resume duties in solidarity with the protest, even after the government directed schools to reopen for the 2026/2027 academic session.
At King’s College in Lagos, the controversy has also created tension among parents, teachers and members of the Old Boys Association. Parents reportedly resisted the entry of representatives of the association into the school during a planned media engagement.
The Old Boys Association has rejected suggestions that it intends to acquire the institution. Its leadership said the proposed arrangement was intended to change the framework for managing, financing, rehabilitating and developing the school while retaining its public character.
The Federal Government has since agreed to review the concession arrangement following discussions with organised labour. A seven-member committee comprising government and labour representatives was constituted to examine the concession document and make recommendations within two weeks.
Despite the review process, the Joint Workers Council has maintained its demand for the reversal of the concession, leaving the dispute unresolved.
A meeting between the Education Ministry and the recognised leadership of the protesting unions was scheduled for Wednesday to further address their grievances.
The outcome of the discussions will determine whether the affected Federal Unity Colleges resume fully or whether the industrial action continues.
