.jpeg)
By Stella Odueme
The Federal Government has dismissed concerns over the concession of King’s College, Lagos, assuring that the 117-year-old institution has neither been sold nor privatised.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, said the government retained legal ownership of the school despite the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) concession granted to the King’s College Old Boys’ Association (KCOBA).
Alausa, in a statement, explained that the arrangement was designed to attract the investment and management capacity required to rehabilitate, modernise and sustain the institution.
“Let me assure Nigerians, particularly the King’s College community, that this concession is not a sale of King’s College,” the minister said.
He said KCOBA would be responsible for financing, rehabilitating, modernising and operating the school under the concession agreement, while the Federal Government would retain its legal title and statutory oversight responsibilities.
According to him, the agreement preserves the public character and national identity of King’s College and does not create any proprietary interest in favour of KCOBA.
Alausa said the concession was developed in line with the established PPP framework and underwent technical, economic, financial, legal, environmental and social assessments, as well as value-for-money and fiscal-impact assessments.
He added that the process also involved risk allocation and commercial structuring before the necessary regulatory and Federal Executive Council approvals were obtained.
The minister said the agreement contains measurable performance indicators covering infrastructure, asset conditions, academic and student-development standards, reporting, audits, inspections and independent verification.
He stressed that government retained corrective and step-in powers in the event of persistent underperformance or serious contractual default.
The concession is expected to facilitate major rehabilitation and new development across the school, including classrooms, laboratories, hostels, staff quarters, libraries, dining facilities, health facilities, utilities and sports and recreational infrastructure.
It also provides for improvements in learning resources and digital tools, as well as landscaping, drainage and environmental works.
On admissions, Alausa said King’s College would continue to operate under applicable Unity College policies based on merit, transparency, fairness and national representation.
He said JSS1 admission would continue through the prescribed testing and assessment process, with the National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE) remaining central to the entry framework.
He added that the admission process would provide for equitable representation of candidates from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, subject to applicable requirements.
Addressing concerns over school fees, the minister said the agreement did not prescribe an automatic increase in fees, although it did not provide for a permanent fee freeze.
He also assured staff that existing employment obligations, liabilities, arrears, pensions and gratuities arising before the transition would remain the responsibility of the Federal Government unless expressly assumed by KCOBA.
A Staff Transition and Protection Framework, he said, had been established to facilitate an orderly transition and safeguard continuity of teaching, boarding, security and other essential services.
Alausa urged the King’s College community and the Nigerian public to assess the concession based on its implementation, transparency, investment obligations and measurable results.
“Our responsibility is to protect the integrity and public purpose of King’s College while ensuring that the institution receives the investment, infrastructure and management capacity required to meet the needs of present and future generations,” he said.