A faction of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria has ordered an indefinite shutdown of the country's 117 unity colleges, defying the Federal Government's directive for students to resume the 2026/2027 academic session. The shutdown, ordered by the Shehu Mohammed-led faction of ASCSN, has deepened the dispute between the Federal Ministry of Education and the organised labour over the proposed concession of King’s College, Lagos.
The Federal Ministry of Education had directed principals to notify parents and guardians that students who were yet to return should resume on Sunday, September 20, 2026. However, the ASCSN faction insists that the industrial action remains in force until the issues in dispute are fully resolved. The union accused the Ministry of Education of undermining the September 14 agreement reached with ASCSN and the Trade Union Congress.
The dispute is centred on the proposed concession of King’s College, Lagos, to the old boys association of the school. The ASCSN faction alleged that the ministry entered into a parallel agreement with persons lacking the mandate and recognition of the association. The union also accused the ministry of failing to honour key aspects of the understanding reached with labour, particularly the constitution of a broad-based committee and release of documents relating to the King’s College concession.
Some unity schools, including FGC Warri and FGGC Sagamu, have advised parents to keep their children and wards at home until the ongoing dispute is resolved. The Parent-Teacher Associations of some unity schools have also challenged the Federal Government to produce evidence backing allegations that PTAs in some schools demand as much as N20 million for admission.
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, have urged the King’s College Old Boys Association to leverage its network of intellectuals, experts, and professionals to address the challenges facing the college. They noted that the school, once an epitome of educational excellence, must continue to maintain the standard.
Sanwo-Olu, represented by the state’s Head of Service, Bode Agoro, emphasised that the alumni have an important role to play in addressing the challenges facing the college. He suggested incorporating Artificial Intelligence, digital technology, new inventions, and robots into the learning curriculum to create new opportunities for future generations of the college.
The PTA chairmen have called on the ministry to publish the complete King’s College concession agreement, including its duration, financial obligations, performance indicators, termination provisions, and safeguards for students, teachers, and the public. They sought clarification on the reported 35-year arrangement transfer to the concessionaire and what would remain under direct Federal Government control.
Key points
- The dispute between the Federal Ministry of Education and the organised labour is over the proposed concession of King’s College, Lagos, to the old boys association of the school.
- The ASCSN faction has ordered an indefinite shutdown of the country's 117 unity colleges, defying the government's resumption directive.
- The PTA chairmen have challenged the Federal Government to produce evidence backing allegations that PTAs in some schools demand as much as N20 million for admission.
