ERC CONDEMN THE CONCESSION OF KING’S COLLEGE, LAGOS

WE DEMAND IMMEDIATE RETURN TO PUBLIC OWNERSHIP

WE SUPPORT THE STRIKE ACTION BY ASCSN; UNITED ACTION OF WORKERS, PARENTS AND STUDENTS NEEDED!

WE CALL FOR PROPER FUNDING AND DEMOCRATIC MANAGEMENT OF PUBLIC EDUCATION

The Education Rights Campaign (ERC) sternly condemns the Federal Government’s concession of the prestigious King’s College, Lagos, to the King’s College Old Boys Association (KCOBA). Also, we demand an immediate reversal of this ill-thought-out plan. The King’s College, over the years, like other unity schools, has provided access to education for many children of the working masses and middle-class people. Despite periodic increments, the fees paid in this school are still a far cry when compared with private schools of similar or lower quality to the King’s College. This is what has made King’s College, and other Unity schools across the country, a safe choice for many working-class and middle class families, despite the pitiable condition of public education. Therefore, this concession is a direct assault on public education and an attack on the working masses.

A major implication of this concession is that the Federal Government would cease to fund King’s College; this was clearly stated by the Federal Ministry of Education. There is no surprise here; over the years, the government at all levels have been pursuing a policy of underfunding public education. This has put public education in complete jeopardy. Education, at all levels, continues to be priced out of the reach of ordinary citizens. Therefore, the concession of King’s College is a furtherance of this anti-people policy of underfunding education, and also placing education at the mercy of private profiteers.

We call all members of KCOBA to desist from this move which is an attempt to deny thousands of students access to subsidized quality education, which they benefited from. Instead of taking over the school, the old students can support with donations towards improvement in infrastructure, facilities and personnel for quality education and decent living in the school. This will go a long way in uplifting King’s College. However, this cannot be a substitute for government’s funding which is the primary responsibility of the government; a responsibility the government is trying to abandon by concession of the school. This is why KCOBA must also join the agitation to ensure proper funding of education, which is the only way King’s College can be repositioned without denying thousands of student access to education.

We strongly support the strike action which workers of King’s College organised under the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) have commenced in rejection of the concession. We also support the opposition of the Parent and Teachers Association (PTA) to the obnoxious plan. However, there is a need for this to be taken further.

The ERC calls for a united mass action of students, teachers, workers, civil society organisations and members of the public. We also call for solidarity support from teachers, workers, students and parents from other Federal Government Unity schools. The national leaderships of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and ASCSN must not turn a blind eye to this attack on public education but rather initiate a series of actions to defeat the concession plan.

The concession of the King’s College, if successful, would embolden the government to extend it to other government-owned schools, including tertiary institutions. This is why this struggle must be supported by ordinary Nigerians and people of good conscience.

For us in the Education Rights Campaign (ERC), struggle must be connected to the need to properly fund public education to ensure that students have access to quality education while education workers work under better conditions. Over the years, the government has consistently underfunded public education, which has resulted in myriad crises bedevilling public education.

Also, we call for the democratisation of the decision-making organs of structures and institution in the education sector involving elected representatives of teachers, other education workers, parents and students. For instance, if such democratisation existed, the decision to concession King’s College would not have seen the light of day. This is because students and workers would have the opportunity to oppose it, instead of a unilateral decision by the Federal Ministry of Education being forced on students and workers. Such a democratic arrangement will also make possible the judicious use of funds and resources of education institutions, as against the characteristic mismanagement of finances by top functionaries of the institutions and the ministry.

Ogunjimi Isaac,

Deputy National Coordinator

Adaramoye Michael Lenin,

National Mobilisation Officer

(08137051249, 07033697259)

Email [email protected]