Academic activities across all 115 Federal Unity Colleges nationwide ground to a halt on Monday as staff defied the Federal Government’s resumption order, continuing an indefinite strike over the proposed concession of King’s College, Lagos.
Despite a government circular instructing principals to reopen following a September 16 agreement with labour unions, visits to colleges in Lagos and Ibadan revealed locked gates monitored by union officials, with parents keeping their children at home. The government had previously agreed to a two-week pause on transferring management of the 117-year-old college to its Old Boys’ Association, promising to form a seven-member review committee, refrain from victimising protesting staff, and withdraw police forces deployed to the site.
However, a faction of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria led by Shehu Mohammed rejected the deal, accusing the Ministry of Education of negotiating with unauthorised representatives and violating an earlier September 14 agreement reached alongside the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria. In a directive sent to state and unit leaders on September 18, the union instructed workers to halt all academic and administrative duties, setup enforcement teams, and ignore directives from school authorities.
The Chairman of the ASCSN chapter at King’s College, Sam Enang, confirmed that the strike was fully active across all six geopolitical zones. He noted that pupils did not report to the school on Sunday after union leaders advised parents via shared platforms to keep their children home.
Enang cited government bad faith as a primary catalyst for continuing the strike, pointing out that security operatives had been brought in despite ongoing negotiations.
“The Federal Ministry of Education defied the agreement of the union by sending police to come to the college and beat up staff and even took a staff member’s child away. That means they have breached their agreement,” he said, adding, “And also, negotiating with a different body, that is a breach of agreement.” He further stated, “So, we have been asked to remain on indefinite strike until they reverse the situation at the college. So, nothing is working out here,” and confirmed, “All Unity Colleges, they are on indefinite strike as I’m talking to you, because of King’s College.”
Enang added that police officers previously stationed at King’s College for two to three days had departed, though the school gates sustained damage during the initial physical confrontation with members of the Old Boys’ Association.
Support for the industrial action remains strong across other locations, with the ASCSN Chairman at Federal Government College, Ijanikin, Ayo Hundeyin, affirming that his branch had not resumed. He raised concerns that the model might be expanded to other institutions, stating, “We are aware that there are similar plans to hand over Unity Colleges in Kano, Port Harcourt, and Ilorin. The education of our children is our priority, and we won’t support any privatisation of our schools.”
The conflict stems from widespread staff resistance to handing over King’s College’s operations to its alumni association under a public-private partnership. Countering these fears, the Federal Government maintains that legal ownership of King’s College rests with the state and that the institution has neither been sold nor privatised.
Minister of Education Tunji Alausa clarified that the initiative is a standalone project, reassuring workers that the government will directly fund the rehabilitation of other Unity Colleges while exploring alternative funding options to address infrastructure shortages.