Concession of Kings College: Parents threaten to shut down unity colleges
…Say public schools shouldn’t be commercialised
By Adesina Wahab
Unity colleges in the country may not be able to resume academic activities on September 14, 2026, as planned, as parents of students in those schools plan to shut down the schools to show their displeasure with the concession of Kings College to the Old Boys Association by the Federal Ministry of Education.
The position of the parents was made known by the Zonal Coordinator, Parent Teacher Association of Unity Colleges in the South West, Mr Ayopo Somefun, in Lagos on Tuesday.
According to the parents, public schools and colleges are not meant to be commercialised, as doing so would take education out of the reach of the masses.
This is just as the group decried the directive by the FME that the old boys should take over the running of Kings College from Monday, September 7, 2026.
“The attention of concerned parents and stakeholders in the South-West geopolitical zone has been drawn to the decision and directives reportedly issued by the Federal Ministry of Education concerning the proposed concession of Kings College to selected former students of the institution. We view this development with serious concern and strong opposition.
“The Unity Colleges were established as national institutions to provide quality and affordable education for Nigerian children, irrespective of their social class, ethnic background, religion or financial capacity. Any policy or arrangement that has the potential to place these institutions beyond the reach of ordinary Nigerians must be thoroughly reconsidered.
“We are deeply concerned that the proposed concession of Kings College may represent the beginning of a wider attempt to commercialise public education and make Federal Unity Colleges unaffordable for children from average- and low-income Nigerian families.”
Somefun therefore advised parents and guardians to hold on and not bring their children and wards to those schools for the new academic session as planned.
“Parents should not expose themselves, their children or wards to the inconvenience and financial loss of embarking on what may ultimately become a fruitless journey.
“We therefore strongly advise all concerned parents to remain calm and await further communication while efforts are made to engage the relevant authorities and address the issues surrounding the proposed concession,” he stated.
On why the group is opposed to the concession, Somefun opined that education must not be sold to the highest bidder.
“Education remains a fundamental instrument for national development and social mobility. The Federal Government must therefore protect, strengthen and properly fund public schools rather than adopt policies that may make quality education inaccessible to ordinary Nigerians.
“On behalf of concerned parents and Parent-Teacher Association stakeholders across Federal Unity Colleges in the South-West, we state as follows:
‘We strongly oppose any arrangement capable of making Unity Colleges unaffordable or inaccessible to ordinary Nigerian children.
“We call on the Federal Ministry of Education to immediately suspend and place the proposed concession arrangement on hold.
“No major decision affecting the ownership, management, accessibility or affordability of Federal Unity Colleges should be implemented without meaningful consultation with parents and other critical stakeholders.
“We demand transparency and full disclosure regarding the terms, conditions and long-term implications of the proposed concession arrangement.
“The Federal Government must assure Nigerian parents that Unity Colleges will continue to serve all Nigerians and will not become exclusive institutions for the privileged few.
‘We wish to make it absolutely clear that parents and stakeholders are committed to pursuing their concerns peacefully, lawfully and responsibly.
“We call upon the Honourable Minister of Education and the Federal Ministry of Education to listen to the voices of Nigerian parents and immediately reconsider this decision.
“The Unity Colleges were built with the resources of the Nigerian people.
“We demand the immediate suspension of the proposed concession process until comprehensive consultations are held and an acceptable understanding is reached with parents and other relevant stakeholders.”
He urged parents to remain calm, as the body would pursue the issue to a logical end.
Recall that earlier this year, the old boys of Kings College publicity announced plans to take over the running of the school.
They announced the launch of an N100 billion fund to renovate and equip the college, as they lamented the state of decay of infrastructure at their alma mater.
Vanguard News
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