Nigeria’s 120 Federal Schools Shut Over King’s College Management Transfer
The Federal Government’s plan to transfer the management of King’s College, Lagos, to its old students’ association has triggered a nationwide protest, disrupting the reopening of 120 Federal Government Colleges for the 2026/2027 academic session.
Workers and parents shut the gates of Unity Colleges across the country on Monday, while some students who arrived for resumption were turned away. The protest also reached the Federal Ministry of Education in Abuja, where workers demanded that the concession arrangement be reversed.
The dispute centres on the planned transfer of King’s College management to the King’s College Old Boys’ Association (KCOBA) under a public-private partnership. Workers and parents say they were not adequately involved in the process and fear that the arrangement could eventually be extended to other Unity Colleges.
The Federal Ministry of Education had earlier directed King’s College to begin preparations for the transition. Under the arrangement, the transfer is expected to take six months, after which government funding from the Federation Account would stop. The old boys’ association would then take responsibility for operating and maintaining the school.
The government, however, has rejected claims that the institution is being sold or privatised. The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, said government would retain ownership and regulatory control, while KCOBA would provide funding for rehabilitation, infrastructure and day-to-day operations under the agreement.
The ministry said the arrangement is intended to address infrastructure and management challenges at the 117-year-old school. Planned improvements include classrooms, hostels, laboratories, libraries, sporting facilities and digital learning resources. Government also said existing staff obligations, including arrears, pensions and gratuities incurred before the transition, would remain its responsibility unless otherwise agreed.
Concerns over the concession have nevertheless widened, with parents questioning whether a change in management could affect affordability and the public character of Unity Colleges. A separate legal challenge by members of KCOBA opposed to the arrangement has further complicated the transition.
The shutdown has also raised concerns about the proposed management arrangement and how the government plans to fund and run public schools while involving private organisations.
