Olatunde Akanbi
Member
King’s College crisis deepens as workers shut school over 35-year concession
The 35-year concession of King’s College, Lagos, to the King’s College Old Boys Association (KCOBA) has triggered a fresh crisis, with workers shutting down the school and parents rejecting the arrangement for fear it could make the Federal Government institution unaffordable to ordinary families.
The workers, under the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), have declared an indefinite shutdown of the college, while the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) opposed the concession, arguing that students already admitted into the Federal Government school should not be transferred to a privately operated institution midway through their education.
The Nation’s reporter who visited the school on Tuesday observed that the college had been shut indefinitely, with a notice pasted on the gate stating, “Note that the College has shut down for now till further notice. No more registrations till further notice.”
Speaking exclusively with The Nation, PTA Chairman, Engr. Peter Oluwaleye, said parents were concerned that the concession could lead to a significant increase in school fees.
He said many families opted for King’s College because it offers quality education at a subsidised cost, adding that transferring its management to a private entity could put the school beyond the reach of parents who could not afford high private-school fees.
“If we had wanted to put our children in private school, most of us are not capable of doing that because the fees are much higher in private schools,” Oluwaleye said.
The workers also expressed concern over the possible cost implications of the concession.
Unit Chairman of the workers’ union, Comrade Samuel Enang, alleged that fees could eventually rise to between N4 million and N5 million per student if KCOBA takes over the school.
Cardioton
by TaboolaSponsored Links
“How many parents in this present economy of the country can afford such education for their children?” Enang asked.
The dispute followed a directive by the Federal Ministry of Education announcing the handover of the college to KCOBA between September 4, 2026, and February 2027.
However, the PTA and workers alleged that they were not adequately consulted before the decision was taken.
The parents are demanding that existing students be allowed to complete their education under the current arrangement if the concession goes ahead.
Oluwaleye proposed a minimum six-year transition period, arguing that KCOBA could begin admitting its own students after those already enrolled had graduated.
“If concession is going to take place, at least you should give it a period of a minimum of six years to consummate,” he said.
The workers, meanwhile, said they remained employees of the Federal Civil Service Commission and rejected any arrangement requiring them to choose between retaining their civil service status and working for KCOBA.
Enang further alleged that the old boys’ association planned to commercialise parts of the college’s property through developments including hotels, shopping malls and car parks.
The allegations have not been independently established.
With the college already shut indefinitely, the dispute could disrupt the academic calendar and has renewed concerns about the future of Nigeria’s Federal Government Unity Colleges under concession arrangements.
The 35-year concession of King’s College, Lagos, to the King’s College Old Boys Association (KCOBA) has triggered a fresh crisis, with workers shutting down the school and parents rejecting the arrangement for fear it could make the Federal Government institution unaffordable to ordinary families.
The workers, under the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), have declared an indefinite shutdown of the college, while the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) opposed the concession, arguing that students already admitted into the Federal Government school should not be transferred to a privately operated institution midway through their education.
The Nation’s reporter who visited the school on Tuesday observed that the college had been shut indefinitely, with a notice pasted on the gate stating, “Note that the College has shut down for now till further notice. No more registrations till further notice.”
Speaking exclusively with The Nation, PTA Chairman, Engr. Peter Oluwaleye, said parents were concerned that the concession could lead to a significant increase in school fees.
He said many families opted for King’s College because it offers quality education at a subsidised cost, adding that transferring its management to a private entity could put the school beyond the reach of parents who could not afford high private-school fees.
“If we had wanted to put our children in private school, most of us are not capable of doing that because the fees are much higher in private schools,” Oluwaleye said.
The workers also expressed concern over the possible cost implications of the concession.
Unit Chairman of the workers’ union, Comrade Samuel Enang, alleged that fees could eventually rise to between N4 million and N5 million per student if KCOBA takes over the school.
Cardioton
by TaboolaSponsored Links
“How many parents in this present economy of the country can afford such education for their children?” Enang asked.
The dispute followed a directive by the Federal Ministry of Education announcing the handover of the college to KCOBA between September 4, 2026, and February 2027.
However, the PTA and workers alleged that they were not adequately consulted before the decision was taken.
The parents are demanding that existing students be allowed to complete their education under the current arrangement if the concession goes ahead.
Oluwaleye proposed a minimum six-year transition period, arguing that KCOBA could begin admitting its own students after those already enrolled had graduated.
“If concession is going to take place, at least you should give it a period of a minimum of six years to consummate,” he said.
The workers, meanwhile, said they remained employees of the Federal Civil Service Commission and rejected any arrangement requiring them to choose between retaining their civil service status and working for KCOBA.
Enang further alleged that the old boys’ association planned to commercialise parts of the college’s property through developments including hotels, shopping malls and car parks.
The allegations have not been independently established.
With the college already shut indefinitely, the dispute could disrupt the academic calendar and has renewed concerns about the future of Nigeria’s Federal Government Unity Colleges under concession arrangements.