King's College Lagos: Ex-Principals Reject Concession, Demand Govt Oversight

• Former principals of King's College, Lagos, have rejected the Federal Government's concession of the institution to the King's College Old Boys' Association.
• They urge the government to suspend the arrangement, retain responsibility, and develop a comprehensive master plan for the 117-year-old college.
• The principals argue that transferring administration and funding to a private body abandons the government's social responsibility and risks transforming the public institution.
• Their proposed master plan would cover infrastructure, staff development, and historical preservation, requiring broad stakeholder consultation for transparency and accountability.

They emphasized that a system where the Federal Government no longer finances the routine activities and infrastructural upgrades of King’s College would effectively constitute an abandonment of one of its core social duties: fostering education and cultivating the nation's future human capital.

A group of former principals from King's College, Lagos, has publicly rejected the Federal Government's decision to concede the institution's management to the King's College Old Boys' Association. This significant development in the ongoing King's College Lagos management dispute saw the Forum of Former Principals of King’s College issue a strong call for the government to halt the arrangement and maintain its direct oversight of the 117-year-old school. They argue that the government should retain its fundamental responsibility for the college's operation and development.

Instead of a full concession, the former school heads advocate for the Federal Government to devise a comprehensive development master plan for the venerable institution. Under their proposal, the King's College Old Boys' Association and other interested parties would be encouraged to support the college's growth and improvement, but without assuming administrative control. This approach, they contend, would allow for continued governmental stewardship while leveraging external support.

The forum formalized its position in a statement released on Wednesday, which was made available to The PUNCH. The declaration was signed by seven individuals who previously served as principals or acting principals of the college, including Dr S. A. B. Atolagbe, Sylvester Onoja, Yetunde Awofuwa, Oladele Olapeju, Elizabeth Ibezim, and Dr Isaac Kolawole. Samuel Agun, identified as the forum's chairman, was also among the signatories, underscoring the collective stance against the proposed King's College Old Boys' Association handover.

The former principals articulated profound concerns regarding the implications of the concession, labeling the decision to cease government funding and transfer daily operations to a private entity as "inconceivable." They emphasized that a system where the Federal Government no longer finances the routine activities and infrastructural upgrades of King’s College would effectively constitute an abandonment of one of its core social duties: fostering education and cultivating the nation's future human capital. This perspective highlights a critical aspect of Nigerian Federal Government education policy.

Furthermore, the forum warned that entrusting the day-to-day administration, financial provisioning, and infrastructure development to a private corporate body could fundamentally alter the institution's character. Such a move, they argued, risks transforming what is currently a Federal Government College into an institution primarily controlled by private interests. They possess first-hand knowledge of the challenges facing the college and firmly believe that its high standards and traditions can be upheld by effectively utilizing existing resources.

The ex-principals characterized the government's choice to hand over management to a private body, rather than directly addressing the college's identified deficiencies, as both "extreme and inconceivable." They urged the Federal Government to instead adopt a proven public-sector model for the systematic advancement of the college. This stance underscores their belief that the government is uniquely positioned to ensure the institution's long-term stability and adherence to its public mandate, rather than pursuing a public-private partnership education Nigeria model that they view as problematic in this context.

Central to the former principals' alternative vision is the insistence that the Federal Government must first ascertain the specific requirements for the college's development before deciding on its management structure. They propose that any genuine initiative for the revitalization and sustainable growth of King’s College should commence with the Federal Ministry of Education preparing a comprehensive King's College Lagos development master plan. This plan should clearly define achievable and measurable objectives within specific timelines.

Such a master plan, as envisioned by the forum, would encompass a wide array of critical areas. These include the improvement of hostels, staff quarters, classrooms, laboratories, and workshops, alongside enhancing teaching and learning resources. It would also address recreational facilities, essential utilities like water and electricity, sanitation, and healthcare provisions. Beyond physical infrastructure, the plan would cover crucial aspects of human resources, such as staff recruitment, welfare, training, and professional development, while also ensuring the preservation of the college’s historic buildings, cherished traditions, and unique institutional character.

Crucially, the proposed master plan would detail projected costs, identify funding sources, establish implementation schedules, and define accountability mechanisms. The former principals stressed that this plan must be subjected to extensive consultation with all relevant stakeholders. This broad engagement would include the King's College Old Boys' Association, the Parent-Teacher Association, educationists, town-planning and infrastructure experts, philanthropists, public-service unions, and civil-society organisations. They believe this inclusive approach would guarantee transparency, incorporate professional expertise, foster broad ownership, and ensure accountability in the institution's development, lamenting that the current concession arrangement appears to have bypassed this vital process.

Lawyers advising on public-private partnerships or education sector reforms in Nigeria should monitor this dispute, as it highlights potential legal and administrative challenges to government concessions of public institutions and the importance of stakeholder consultation in such processes. This could set a precedent for future government divestments or partnerships in the education sector.

Source: Original reporting via The PUNCH