By Uji A Iliyasu, Abuja
The Federal Government has ruled out the sale or concession of any Federal Unity College, saying the proposed management arrangement for King’s College, Lagos, will not increase school fees or lead to job losses.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, stated this on Wednesday in Abuja while addressing journalists on the controversy over the proposed arrangement with the King’s College Old Boys Association (KCOBA).
Alausa said the arrangement was limited to King’s College and would not be extended to other Unity Colleges.
“No. We’re not extending it. Government still has its responsibility,” he said.
The minister also dismissed reports that the Federal Government planned to sell any of the 115 Unity Colleges.
“Federal Government is not selling any Unity College,” he declared, stressing that the government remained committed to retaining ownership of the institutions.
Alausa said the proposed partnership with KCOBA is aimed at mobilising additional resources to rehabilitate and modernise King’s College while retaining government ownership.
He said an unannounced inspection of the school revealed deteriorating conditions in some hostels, bathrooms, classrooms, laboratories and other facilities.
The minister also raised security concerns over the use of part of the school premises as a paid car park, saying unrestricted access by members of the public posed risks to students.
He said he had directed that the arrangement be stopped.
Alausa said KCOBA had expressed willingness to invest substantially in the college through a non-profit foundation while retaining merit-based admission and ensuring students from across the country continued to have access to the institution.
He said the association claimed to have invested more than N2bn in the college’s infrastructure over the years.
The minister said the Federal Government faced a huge infrastructure deficit across the 115 Unity Colleges, adding that even N2tn would not be enough to address all their needs.
He disclosed that government had secured approval to repurpose about $20m from a World Bank-supported programme for the rehabilitation of about 20 selected Unity Colleges across the country.
Alausa said the estimated cost of rehabilitating Unity Colleges in the South-West alone was nearly N100bn, making it necessary to explore additional funding sources without surrendering government ownership.
On school fees, he said the King’s College agreement contained provisions against any increase and would be monitored through strict key performance indicators.
He added that the ministry had constituted an implementation and monitoring team to conduct unannounced inspections and ensure compliance with the agreement.
The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, also assured that no teacher would lose their job because of the arrangement.
Ahmad said affected teachers had been allowed to indicate their preferred locations for redeployment in line with the Public Service Rules.
“There is no fee increase in this arrangement. It is part of the MoU we signed,” she said.
She disclosed that a committee had been set up to review the Memorandum of Understanding and address stakeholders’ concerns, while union representatives would participate in monitoring its implementation.
Ahmad said government was also exploring various public-private partnership models for rehabilitating Unity Colleges, citing the Kano model as one option.
On the ongoing protests by education unions, Alausa said the government had reached a six-point agreement with the Trade Union Congress, after which a communiqué was issued urging workers to return to work.
He, however, said another faction had continued with the protest.
The minister said government remained open to dialogue, but insisted that ministry workers should return to their offices and the ministry gates should not be blocked.
He condemned alleged harassment of staff, destruction of property and obstruction of access to the ministry, saying such actions would not be tolerated.
Alausa said the government would continue engaging stakeholders while pursuing measures to close the infrastructure and management gaps confronting the Unity Colleges.