A major crisis is brewing in Nigeria's basic education sub-sector following a fierce rejoinder by the National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN). The association has described a recent directive by the Federal Ministry of Education as misinformed, misleading, and capable of destabilising the academic calendar. The row erupted following a press release issued on September 21, 2026, by the Ministry's Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade.
The press release claimed that the national PTA body operating within the country's 118 Federal Unity Colleges is neither recognised nor authorised by the government. Reacting swiftly, NAPTAN's leadership moved to set the record straight, cautioning the Honourable Minister of Education, Maruf Tunji Alausa, against creating artificial bottlenecks. The umbrella body clarified that it remains the sole umbrella association registered under Part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act with the Corporate Affairs Commission.
According to NAPTAN, its mandate covers parents and teachers across Federal Unity Colleges, state public schools, and private institutions nationwide. The association argued that Unity Schools do not exist outside the geopolitical boundaries of Nigeria. NAPTAN's newly elected National President, Uche Onyia Ignatius, defended the legal status of the body, expressing shock over the Ministry's sudden policy somersault.
Ignatius stated that NAPTAN is a legally registered, historical institution that has served as the bedrock of parent-teacher relations for decades. Disowning the national body would be tantamount to throwing away the baby with the bathwater. NAPTAN further expressed disappointment that the Minister was being poorly briefed by internal departments, noting that successive Ministers of Education had robustly collaborated with the association on critical policy formulation and dispute resolutions.
The association revealed that the Ministry itself had actively brokered peace during a recent internal leadership friction, an intervention that culminated in NAPTAN's Quadrennial Delegates Congress held on September 9, 2026. NAPTAN's National Vice President and Director of Media & Publicity, Ekundayo Abiodun Ademola, accused the ministry of administrative double-standards, questioning why the Ministry had actively supervised NAPTAN's activities and congress if it is not recognised.
Rather than issuing statements capable of triggering nationwide confusion, NAPTAN urged Alausa to immediately halt the implementation of the directive and engage key stakeholders. The association laid out three core demands to resolve the impasse, including the immediate withdrawal of the Ministry's September 21 press release, the convocation of an urgent roundtable meeting between the Minister and the newly elected national executives, and an unhindered operational environment for the 118 individual Unity College PTA chapters.
Concluding the statement, NAPTAN reiterated that it is not a trade union or an opposition group, but a partner in progress complementing government funding in schools. Ignatius appealed to parents and guardians across the 118 Federal Unity Colleges to remain calm and law-abiding, reassuring them that the primary focus remains the welfare and safety of their children. The 2026/2027 academic session has commenced, and parents must ensure their children remain in their classrooms while the issue is resolved amicably.
Key points
- NAPTAN faults Ministry's claims on unity schools' PTA legality
- Crisis brews in Nigeria's basic education sub-sector
- NAPTAN demands withdrawal of Ministry's directive and engagement with stakeholders
