The Federal Government has clarified that King’s College, Lagos, has not been sold or privatised, stressing that the institution remains publicly owned and that its legal title is still vested in the Federal Government.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, gave the clarification on Friday while addressing concerns surrounding the government’s Public-Private Partnership concession agreement with the King’s College Old Boys’ Association.
The minister said the concession was designed to enable the old boys’ association to finance, rehabilitate, modernise, operate and maintain the 117-year-old institution, while the Federal Government retains its statutory, regulatory, monitoring, inspection and enforcement powers.
“Let me assure Nigerians, particularly the King’s College community, that this concession is not a sale of King’s College. Government has retained legal title to the institution and will continue to exercise its oversight responsibilities,” Alausa said.
He explained that the agreement did not transfer ownership of the school or create any proprietary interest in favour of the King’s College Old Boys’ Association. According to him, the arrangement was developed under the established PPP framework and underwent technical, economic, financial, legal, environmental and social assessments, as well as value-for-money and fiscal-impact assessments, before receiving the required regulatory and Federal Executive Council approvals.
The minister also assured stakeholders that the public character and national identity of King’s College would be protected under the agreement. He said admissions would continue to follow applicable Unity College policies, with merit, transparency, fairness and national representation remaining key principles.
Alausa said admission into JSS1 would continue through the prescribed testing and assessment process, with the National Common Entrance Examination remaining central to the entry framework. He added that the concession agreement did not provide for an automatic increase in school fees, although it also did not establish a permanent fee freeze.
The minister said the concession was primarily aimed at addressing the institution’s significant infrastructure and operational needs and ensuring its long-term sustainability. Under the arrangement, KCOBA is expected to finance and implement major rehabilitation and development projects covering classrooms, administrative buildings, hostels, staff quarters, laboratories, libraries, dining facilities, health facilities, utilities, sports facilities, drainage and environmental works.
The agreement also provides for new classrooms, laboratories, hostels and specified sports facilities, alongside improved learning resources and digital tools.
“King’s College is an institution with a remarkable history, but preserving that history requires us to invest in its future. The concession provides a framework for sustained infrastructure renewal, improved learning facilities and stronger operational capacity,” Alausa said.
On concerns over the future of teachers and other staff, the minister said the agreement contained a formal Staff Transition and Protection Framework intended to facilitate an orderly transition while safeguarding staff welfare and ensuring continuity of teaching, boarding, security and other essential services.
He explained that employment obligations, liabilities, arrears, pensions, gratuities and other staff-related entitlements arising before the transition would remain the responsibility of the Federal Government unless expressly assumed by KCOBA. Following the transition, the old boys’ association would assume responsibility for relevant operating expenses, including salaries, benefits and allowances for personnel engaged under the project.
The minister further stressed that the concession would not remove government oversight of the institution. He said the agreement provides for measurable key performance indicators, infrastructure and asset-condition standards, academic and student-development measures, reporting requirements, audits, inspections and independent verification.
According to him, the Federal Government retains corrective and step-in powers in cases of persistent underperformance or serious contractual breaches. KCOBA would also be restricted from selling, transferring or disposing of concession assets without the required approvals.
The clarification comes amid opposition from some parents, staff and other stakeholders who have raised concerns about the concession. The school was reportedly shut by its staff union following the Federal Government’s directive for the immediate handover of the institution to KCOBA, while the planned resumption of students was thrown into uncertainty.
Parents and staff had previously questioned whether the concession could undermine the affordability and public character of the institution. Earlier opposition to the arrangement also centred on concerns about possible increases in fees, staff welfare and the extent of control that would be transferred to the old boys’ association.
Alausa, however, said the Federal Government welcomed legitimate scrutiny of the arrangement and urged stakeholders to assess it based on its implementation, transparency and measurable results.
He said the government would monitor the implementation of the agreement and ensure that all parties complied with their contractual obligations, particularly in areas including infrastructure, academic performance, admissions, staff welfare, student safety and the proper utilisation of project funds.
“Our responsibility is to protect the integrity and public purpose of King’s College while ensuring that the institution receives the investment, infrastructure and management capacity required to meet the needs of present and future generations,” the minister said.
He urged members of the King’s College community and the wider Nigerian public to engage with the substance of the concession agreement and assess it based on its safeguards, investment obligations, implementation and results.
The minister maintained that the objective of the arrangement was not simply to preserve King’s College’s historic legacy but to strengthen the institution and equip it to meet the educational needs of present and future generations.
EduTimes Africa, a product of Education Times Africa, is a magazine publication that aims to lend its support to close the yawning gap in Africa's educational development.