Abuja: The Federal Government has assured that school fees will not increase under the proposed management arrangement for King’s College, Lagos. The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, provided this assurance during a news conference in Abuja, addressing concerns regarding the new management plan.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the agreement with the King’s College Old Boys Association (KCOBA) aims to generate additional resources for the school without altering its ownership status. Dr. Alausa emphasized that the arrangement would be governed by stringent key performance indicators (KPIs) to ensure adherence to agreed standards. The Ministry of Education has also established an implementation and monitoring team that will conduct unannounced inspections to ensure compliance with the agreement.
Dr. Alausa highlighted that the government remains open to dialogue with unions and will consider legitimate concerns that could enhance the arrangement. He noted that addressing decades of infrastructure decay in Unity Colleges cannot be accomplished through government funding alone, and reiterated that there would be no increase in school fees. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) includes provisions to safeguard the interests of both the government and learners.
The Minister encouraged journalists to visit the schools and independently assess their condition before reporting on the controversy. Additionally, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, assured that no teacher would lose their job due to the King’s College arrangement. Affected teachers have been given the option to choose their redeployment in line with Public Service Rules.
Prof. Ahmad stated that the government is implementing teacher capacity-building programs as part of broader reforms aimed at enhancing learning outcomes in Unity Colleges and other schools. She affirmed that the government is open to further engagement with unions, with the possibility of incorporating legitimate concerns into the MOU. A committee has been established to review the agreement and address issues raised by stakeholders, with union representatives included in the monitoring committee.
Prof. Ahmad reiterated, “There is no fee increase in this arrangement. It is part of the MoU we signed.” She added that normalcy must return to the ministry for productive dialogue with unions. The government’s objective, she explained, is to restore the historical quality and excellence of Unity Colleges, addressing the decline in standards through sustained interventions in infrastructure and teacher development. The government is also exploring various public-private partnership models for rehabilitating Unity Colleges, citing the Kano model as a potential option.