The Parents Teachers Association (PTA) of King’s College Lagos has unanimously rejected the Federal Government’s approval to concession the institution to its Old Boys Association (KCOBA).
King’s College Lagos, one of Nigeria’s foremost all-boys Unity Colleges, was established by an Act of Parliament on September 20, 1909.
The Federal Government recently approved the concession of the 116-year-old institution to the Old Boys Association, a move the group described as the beginning of a new era for one of Nigeria’s oldest and most prestigious secondary schools.
At the college’s PTA Annual General Meeting on Saturday, parents unanimously rejected the decision and appealed to President Bola Tinubu to reconsider the approval.
Mrs Nkiru Ikechukwu, a parent, urged the Old Boys to invest more in the school, monitor its finances, and help improve standards rather than take over its management.
“If this is allowed to happen, it will trickle down to all other Unity Colleges and, by extension, federal institutions of higher learning across the country,” she said.
She added that the move would lead to higher fees, which many parents are already struggling to pay, and undermine the college’s role in providing equal opportunities for students from all social and religious backgrounds.
Mrs Loveth Nimkur-Ikilama, a teacher and product of a Unity College, described the concession as contrary to the vision of the founding fathers. She warned that it could lead to privatisation, skyrocketing fees, and the exclusion of indigent but brilliant students.
Mrs Adewunmi Adeola, another parent, urged stakeholders to reject the plan, noting the school’s founding principles of excellence and national integration. She argued that existing challenges like dilapidated infrastructure and bedbug infestation should prompt increased government funding rather than concession.
Mr Ibrahim Yunusa, also a parent, described King’s College as the last hope for less privileged Nigerians, similar to the NYSC in promoting national unity. He called for support and improved funding instead of handing over the school.
A group of parents, in a communique read by PTA Chairman Mr Peter Oluwaleye, expressed strong opposition to the concession. They described education as a fundamental right and warned that the move would make the school unaffordable for many families.
The PTA called on the Federal Government to immediately suspend the proposed concession, engage all stakeholders, and prioritise increased funding, better infrastructure, and improved management of public schools.
