Unity Colleges workers suspend strike over King’s College concession

Workers in the Federal Unity Colleges have suspended their industrial action over the proposed concession of King’s College, Lagos, to the institution’s Old Boys Association.

The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria announced the suspension in a communiqué issued on Wednesday after a meeting in Kano involving its leadership, the Trade Union Congress and zonal coordinators of the Unity Colleges.

The decision followed a review of the agreement reached between organised labour and the Federal Ministry of Education, alongside the concession document for King’s College.

The union said the strike would be suspended to allow a seven-member committee to examine the concession arrangement and make recommendations.

It added that implementation of the concession had been put on hold pending the committee’s report, with two representatives of the ASCSN serving 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 stated.

The suspension comes about two weeks after workers and the Parent Teacher Association shut the Unity Colleges in protest against the proposed concession of King’s College to its Old Boys Association.

The colleges were originally scheduled to resume on September 13, but the workers maintained their industrial action, arguing that the concession could have implications for the wider Unity College system.

Following the latest development, the Parent Teacher Association of Federal Unity Colleges has proposed Sunday, September 27, for students to resume academic activities.

The proposal was contained in a statement by the association’s South-West Zonal Coordinator, Farmer Ayopo Somefun, on behalf of parents and guardians nationwide.

The PTA welcomed the suspension as an opportunity for the government, labour, school authorities and other stakeholders to continue discussions on the disputed concession.

However, it said the September 27 date remained subject to confirmation by the Federal Ministry of Education.

The parents urged the ministry to communicate its decision promptly to enable families to make arrangements for students’ return.

They also called on all parties to allow the seven-member review committee to carry out its assignment without pressure.

The dispute over King’s College concession had previously disrupted the reopening of the 115 Federal Unity Colleges nationwide.

The Federal Government had earlier suspended implementation of the concession for two weeks and constituted the seven-member committee to review the arrangement and address concerns raised by the unions.