Students
The Federal Government has reaffirmed that all Federal Unity Colleges must resume academic activities as scheduled for Monday, September 14, 2026, despite a widespread workers’ boycott that has left 112 of the 115 institutions shut.
The industrial action stems from opposition to the government’s plan to concession the management of King’s College, Lagos, to the King’s College Old Boys’ Association (KCOBA) under a 35-year public-private partnership arrangement.
Workers argue that the move threatens the future of the Federal Unity School system and could set a precedent for the privatisation or handover of other public schools.
According to reports, no fewer than 17,000 education officers at the Federal Ministry of Education headquarters and in the affected colleges are participating in the protest and withdrawal of services. The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), in conjunction with the Joint Congress of Unions of the Federal Ministry of Education, has directed staff to boycott resumption until the concession is suspended.
A source indicated that 112 of the 115 colleges complied with the workers’ directive. Only three schools — Federal Government College, Kwali (FCT); Federal Government College, Okposi (Ebonyi); and Federal Government College, Otobi (Benue) — admitted some students who had already travelled long distances.
The Federal Ministry of Education, however, maintained its position. In a statement, the ministry, speaking through its Director of Press and Public Relations, Folasade Boriowo, on behalf of the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, insisted that all Federal Unity Colleges would reopen on schedule. It assured students, parents and guardians that necessary arrangements were in place for a safe, smooth and seamless commencement of the new academic session.
The minister emphasised that the safety and wellbeing of students and staff remain a priority. Relevant security agencies have been informed and are maintaining heightened vigilance around the colleges and their environments. School authorities were directed to coordinate closely with security agencies to ensure orderly resumption.
Parents and guardians in several parts of the country have also expressed concerns, with some Parent-Teacher Associations in the South-West and elsewhere advising against sending children back until the dispute is resolved. Campuses in many locations remained largely empty on Monday as the standoff continued.
The unions have described the boycott as “total, absolute and unchanged,” insisting that the gates of the Federal Unity Colleges will remain shut until the government reverses the King’s College concession. They maintain that the arrangement could undermine the unity and public character of the schools established to promote national integration.
As of Monday, the showdown placed the Federal Ministry of Education and the unions on a collision course, with students’ academic calendars hanging in the balance. Further developments are expected as both sides dig in on their positions.
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