The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has raised concerns that the proposed concession of King’s College, Lagos, could eventually put Unity Colleges beyond the reach of children from poor and average-income families through increased school fees and other charges.
President of the NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero, has also cautioned that allowing the proposed concession to proceed could set a precedent for handing over other Unity Colleges to private or other entities, with serious implications for access to public secondary education.
The NLC president, in a statement on Sunday, said the protests against the proposed concession were understandable, given the years of neglect, underfunding, corruption, indiscipline and deteriorating services which, he said, had turned King’s College from a national pride into “an eyesore and disgrace.”
He acknowledged that the King’s College Old Boys Association was motivated by a desire to restore the institution to its former glory, but argued that the proposed solution could create a bigger problem for public education.
According to him, once the initiative succeeds, other Unity Colleges could subsequently be concessioned to “nebulous entities” whose capacity to manage public secondary education may not be guaranteed.
He said: “Coupled with this, soon enough new school fees and tariffs will place the colleges out of the reach of students from average families, no matter their intellectual endowments.”
Ajaero maintained that the responsibility for educating citizens remained with the government and could not be transferred through concession arrangements.
“Yet, the obligation to educate its citizenry resides with the State. It is a duty it cannot abdicate.”
He argued that government had previously taken over schools established by missionary organisations and should therefore continue to shoulder the responsibility of maintaining and funding public secondary education.
The labour leader further questioned why Nigeria should move away from government-funded education when, according to him, several schools and universities in advanced economies continued to receive public funding.
“Even in advanced economies there are quite a number of schools including universities that are funded by government. Why would our case be different?” he asked.
Ajaero consequently endorsed the protests against the proposed concession of King’s College and other Unity Colleges, urging the Federal Government to adequately fund and maintain the institutions.
He said the colleges had played significant roles in Nigeria’s history, particularly in promoting national unity and providing quality education to generations of Nigerians.
Rather than concession the schools, he urged government to sustain a system that allows healthy competition among missionary, private and government schools.
“Finally, even as we run a market economy, what will be too sacred for government to concession?” he asked.