Unity colleges staff suspend strike - Punch Newspapers

The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria has suspended its strike over the concession of King’s College, Lagos, paving the way for the reopening of the 115 Federal Unity Colleges nationwide. According to a communiqué released on Wednesday, the decision was reached at a meeting between the leadership of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, ASCSN and zonal coordinators of the Unity Schools in Kano on Tuesday. The union leaders resolved to suspend the industrial action to allow a seven-member committee to review the concession document for King’s College. The development comes about two weeks after the ASCSN and Parent Teacher Association shut all the Unity Colleges, demanding that the Federal Government reverse the concession of King’s College to its Old Boys Association. The colleges were originally scheduled to resume on September 13, but workers, under the ASCSN, directed members to boycott the resumption, maintaining that the concession of King’s College threatened the future of the Federal Unity College system. According to the communiqué made available to The PUNCH, the leadership of the TUC, ASCSN and the zonal coordinators considered the agreement reached between labour and the Federal Ministry of Education as well as the King’s College concession document. Consequently, they resolved “to suspend the ongoing strike action in the Unity Colleges to enable the seven (7) man Committee to review the Concession document.” The union leaders said the decision was also based on the fact that the King’s College concession had been put on hold pending the committee’s report, with ASCSN having two representatives on the committee. “Considering the above, the Zonal Coordinators of the Unity Schools agreed with the National Leadership of the ASCSN that the strike be suspended immediately while awaiting the report of the committee,” the communiqué read. The communiqué was signed by the zonal coordinators of the Unity Schools, including Omidiji Kunle, Lagos Zonal Coordinator; Abubakar Muhammad, North-West Coordinator; Yusuf S.A., South-West Coordinator; Tanko Augustine, North-East Coordinator; Udop Ogbodim, South-South Coordinator; Nosike F.O., South-East Coordinator; and Amodu Isiaka, North-Central Coordinator.See more Punch stories on Google.Add Punch on Google Following the suspension of the strike, the Parent Teacher Association of the colleges has proposed Sunday, September 27, for students to return to their schools. The parents, in a statement on Wednesday, said they welcomed the decision to suspend the strike, describing it as an opportunity for dialogue. The PTA statement was signed by Farmer Ayopo Somefun, the South-West Zonal Coordinator of the PTA Chairmen Association of Federal Unity Colleges, FTC, Ijebu Mushin, Ogun State, on behalf of parents and guardians of students in Federal Unity Colleges nationwide. While asserting that they were “prepared to support the immediate restoration of academic activities in the Federal Unity Colleges,” they, however, said the proposed date was subject to confirmation by the Federal Ministry of Education. The statement read, “We therefore call on the Federal Ministry of Education to urgently communicate its position on the proposed 27th September 2026 resumption date,” the parents stated. They said early confirmation was necessary to allow parents and other stakeholders to make arrangements for the return of students. King’s College concession controversy King’s College: Unity Colleges staff defy FG resumption order King’s College brouhaha and the price of ignorance The parents also urged the parties to sustain the dialogue. “The suspension of the strike should provide the necessary atmosphere for meaningful dialogue between the Federal Government, the Federal Ministry of Education, labour, school authorities and other stakeholders,” the statement read. They further called for the release or restoration of PTA staff affected by the government’s action, saying the matter should be addressed before the schools fully resume. The parents urged the government and labour to allow the seven-member committee to complete its assignment without pressure. They said, “Let the strike remain suspended. Let dialogue continue. Let the review committee do its work. Let the Federal Ministry of Education confirm its readiness.” The parents added, “And let our children return to school on Sunday, 27th September 2026, if the FME is in agreement with the proposed date.” They appealed to parents across the country to remain calm and await the official confirmation from the Federal Ministry of Education. The dispute over the King’s College concession intensified after the Federal Ministry of Education, in a September 4 letter, directed the immediate handover of King’s College to KCOBA following the conclusion of the concession agreement. The ministry said a transition committee would complete the handover within six months, after which Federal Government funding of the college would stop. However, the government maintained that the arrangement was not a sale or privatisation of King’s College. The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, said the government retained legal ownership of the 117-year-old institution, while KCOBA would be responsible for financing, rehabilitating, modernising, operating and maintaining the school. The workers, however, objected to the concession and extended their opposition to the reopening of all Federal Unity Colleges. The dispute escalated when the King’s College Old Boys, amid police backup, made their way into the school premises despite resistance from the protesting staff. On September 16, the Federal Government and organised labour reached an agreement to put the implementation of the King’s College concession on hold for two weeks. The agreement also provided for a seven-member committee to review the concession document and address concerns raised by the unions. However, a faction of the ASCSN led by its National President, Shehu Mohammed, rejected the suspension and insisted that the strike remained in force. Wale Akinselure Olawale Franklin Akinselure is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with 12 years of experience covering education, politics, health, environment, judiciary, metro, and community beats. He specializes in producing insightful, wide-ranging reports that inform and engage readers. His reporting reflects practical newsroom experience, editorial insight, and a dedication to accurate, reliable journalism.

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