The Federal Government has clarified that the proposed management arrangement involving King’s College, Lagos, will not be extended to other Federal Unity Colleges across the country.
Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, made the clarification on Wednesday in Abuja while addressing concerns surrounding the agreement between the government and the King’s College Old Boys’ Association (KCOBA).
According to the minister, the arrangement remains specific to King’s College and does not represent a new model that will be adopted for other Unity Colleges.
Alausa said the government had already communicated this position to labour unions and other stakeholders involved in discussions over the issue.
“No. We’re not extending it. The government still has its responsibility,” the minister said.
He assured Nigerians that the Federal Government would continue to fund and oversee the rehabilitation of Unity Colleges across the country.
The minister explained that government is also exploring alternative funding sources to address infrastructure challenges in federal schools and complement budgetary allocations.
As part of those efforts, he disclosed that approval had been secured to redirect about $20 million from a World Bank-supported programme towards the rehabilitation of schools.
According to him, about 20 Unity Colleges have already been selected to benefit from the intervention, with plans to expand support to other institutions nationwide.
Alausa noted that the financial requirements for rehabilitating Unity Colleges remain substantial, stating that nearly ₦100 billion would be needed to fully rehabilitate schools in the South-West region alone.
He explained that the decision to adopt a special arrangement for King’s College was influenced by the scale of infrastructure decay in the institution and the readiness of the King’s College Old Boys’ Association to invest significantly through a non-profit foundation.
The minister maintained that the Federal Government remains committed to preserving the educational objectives of Unity Colleges while addressing infrastructure deficits and improving learning conditions for students across the country.
The clarification comes amid ongoing concerns and debates over the future management of King’s College, with labour unions and some stakeholders seeking greater clarity on the implications of the arrangement.
Alausa, however, reiterated that the King’s College agreement is an isolated case and should not be interpreted as a template for the management of other Federal Unity Colleges.
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