KING’S COLLEGE: ALAUSA ASSURES WORKERS OF JOB SECURITY
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HOTJIST NEWS
On Monday, the Minister of Education, Dr.Tunji Alausa, met with the leaders of organised labour to discuss the issue around proposed changes to the way King’s College, Lagos is managed.He assured the workers that the Federal Government would deal with their worries through talking and understanding their points of view.
The meeting was joined by representatives from the Trade Union Congress, the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, and other related unions.
It also included the Minister of State for Education, Prof.Suwaiba Ahmad, and the acting Permanent Secretary, Dr.Folake Olatunji-Davies.
This meeting came after workers and labour groups expressed concerns about the new administrative plans for King’s College, especially the use of the word “concessioning.” The unions said this term had created confusion about the future of the school and its staff.
During the meeting, Alausa explained that this discussion was part of the Federal Government’s larger plans for education reform, as part of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He stressed that it is important to take care of workers’ well–being while also considering the country’s bigger goals and the future of Nigerian children.
The minister said, “While workers’ welfare remains important, all stakeholders must also consider the national interest and the future of the nation’s children.”
He commended the unions for their commitment to workers’ rights and willingness to resolve the disagreement through dialogue, assuring them that the government would implement its reforms responsibly.
Alausa also praised the acting Permanent Secretary for returning from a scheduled official trip to London to respond to the concerns raised by the unions.
He said the government will consider the needs of students, teachers, and other staff members, while making sure public resources are used well.
The acting Permanent Secretary promised the unions that the government is focused on making the change go smoothly and will look after the workers who are impacted.
She also explained that these workers will still be considered civil servants and will have the choice to either stay at King’s College under the new system or move to another school in Lagos State, based on what they prefer.
He said a committee would be formed to help with the transition, make sure important people involved are included, and keep the history and goals of King’s College safe.
The TUC General Secretary, Nuhu Toro, said the unions mainly want to understand the proposed changes, especially what “concessioning” means and how it will affect things.
Toro mentioned that the disagreement caused workers at the unity schools and King’s College to stop working, but he added that top–level actions got the groups to talk things through.
He said the unions want to solve the problem through discussion, mainly because any interruption would hurt children from poor and less–privileged families.
“We are on the same page on the future of our children,” Toro said, stressing the need for the parties to reach an agreement quickly.
The meeting was still ongoing as of the time of filing this report, with the ministry reiterating that legitimate concerns raised by the unions would be addressed within the framework of the law and the government’s education reforms.
King’s College, Lagos, is one of Nigeria’s oldest government-owned secondary schools and part of the country’s federal unity school system. The institution, established in 1909, has historically been administered by the Federal Government.
The dispute over its proposed new administrative arrangement comes amid wider government efforts to reform the management and funding of public education institutions.
The use of the term “concessioning” has, however, raised concerns among workers and organised labour over whether the arrangement could affect their employment status, prompting the current engagement between the Federal Government and the unions.
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