The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has expressed concerns over the proposed concession of King's College, Lagos, and other Federal Unity Colleges. NLC President Joe Ajaero stated that the development had generated protests from various entities worried about the future of public secondary education and the management of Unity Colleges. The NLC's opposition comes after King's College old students proposed taking over the school due to years of neglect and underfunding.
According to Ajaero, the old students' initiative aims to restore the school's lost glory, but the NLC president warned that it poses a grave danger to secondary school education. He argued that if the initiative succeeds, it could set a precedent for concessioning other Unity Colleges to entities that may lack the capacity to manage secondary education effectively. This could create further challenges for the public school system.
Ajaero also raised concerns that concessioning the colleges could lead to new school fees and tariffs, making them inaccessible to students from average-income families. He emphasized that the obligation to educate citizens resides with the state and that it cannot abdicate this duty. The NLC president noted that the government had previously taken over schools from missionary organizations and should continue to shoulder responsibility for secondary education.
The NLC president questioned why the government's role in funding schools should be different from advanced economies, where many schools, including universities, are funded by the government. He argued that the government's financial burden should be considerably less after assuming responsibility for schools previously owned and managed by missionary organizations.
Ajaero said the NLC endorses protests against concessioning King's College and other Unity Colleges, urging the government to adequately fund and maintain them. He emphasized that the colleges have made significant contributions to national unity and quality education, and their historical contributions cannot be quantified.
The NLC president suggested that instead of concessioning the schools, the government should maintain or sustain the culture of open competition between missionary schools, private schools, and government schools. He urged the government to preserve the colleges while ensuring adequate funding and effective management to sustain their contribution to national development.
Ajaero concluded by questioning what would be too sacred for the government to concession in a market economy. The NLC's opposition to the concession of Unity Colleges highlights the need for the government to prioritize public education and ensure that it is accessible and affordable for all citizens.
Key points
- NLC opposes concession of King's College and other Unity Colleges
- Government urged to adequately fund and maintain public schools
- Concessioning public schools could lead to increased fees and reduced accessibility
