Jelili Gbadamosi
Federal Unity Colleges across Nigeria remained closed on Monday as the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) rejected the Federal Government’s directive for schools to resume academic activities.
The continued closure followed a disagreement between the government and a faction of the union over the proposed management concession of King’s College, Lagos, to its Old Boys’ Association.
Although the Federal Ministry of Education directed principals of the 115 Federal Unity Colleges to reopen following a September 16 agreement with education-sector labour unions, ASCSN members insisted that the strike remained in force.
Visits to some Unity Colleges in Lagos and Ibadan showed that academic activities had yet to resume, with union members present on the premises while many parents kept their children at home.
The ministry, in a September 18 memo, said the government and labour had reached an agreement to resolve the dispute.
As part of the agreement, the proposed management arrangement for King’s College was to be suspended for two weeks, while a seven-member committee would be established to review and negotiate the arrangement involving the Old Boys’ Association.
The agreement also provided for the withdrawal of policemen deployed to King’s College and the suspension of the industrial action by the unions.
However, the faction of ASCSN led by Shehu Mohammed rejected the agreement, maintaining that it was not binding on the union.
The union subsequently directed its members in Federal Unity Colleges nationwide to remain on strike, accusing the Ministry of Education of disregarding an earlier agreement reached with ASCSN and the Trade Union Congress.
At King’s College, the ASCSN chapter chairman, Sam Enang, confirmed that the school had not resumed.
“We have not resumed. The pupils are at home. We have not called off the strike,” Enang said.
Enang alleged that the ministry breached its agreement with the unions by its handling of the King’s College issue and by engaging with another group which he said lacked the authority to represent the association.
He said workers would remain on strike until the issues surrounding the proposed management concession were addressed.
At the Federal Government College, Ijanikin, Lagos, ASCSN chairman, Ayo Hundeyin, also confirmed that workers had not returned to work.
Hundeyin raised concerns over what he described as possible plans to transfer the management of other Unity Colleges to private interests, mentioning institutions in Kano, Port Harcourt and Ilorin.
The Federal Government, however, has denied that it plans to privatise or sell King’s College.
The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, said ownership of the college remained with the Federal Government and ruled out extending the management arrangement to other Unity Colleges.
“No. We’re not extending it. The government still has its responsibility,” Alausa said.
According to the minister, the government remains committed to rehabilitating other Unity Colleges while exploring alternative approaches to addressing their infrastructure challenges.
The conflicting positions have left students in the affected Federal Unity Colleges at home, with no immediate resolution announced between the government and the striking workers.
