The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, has announced a series of resolutions aimed at addressing concerns over the management of King’s College, Lagos, assuring staff that no employee would be dismissed.
The resolutions followed a high-level meeting between the Federal Ministry of Education, the Trade Union Congress and representatives of the King’s College Old Boys Association over the proposed continuation of the association’s management of the school.
Alausa said the existing arrangement would proceed, while a seven-member committee would review the agreement and consider additional recommendations. The committee will include representatives of the Education and Labour ministries, the TUC and the King’s College Old Boys Association.
The committee is expected to complete its assignment within one to two weeks and submit recommendations for consideration by the parties.
The minister also assured staff that the deployment of academic and non-academic personnel would be carried out strictly in accordance with the Public Service Rules. He said there would be no infringement of the rules regarding staff deployment.
Alausa said the engagement was conducted in the spirit of mutual respect and the national interest, adding that dialogue remained necessary to resolve areas of disagreement.
TUC General Secretary, Nuhu Toro, described the meeting as “fruitful and robust”, saying the unions’ concerns were presented and considered in good faith. He announced that the union would suspend the industrial action earlier directed against its affiliates to allow the committee to complete its work.
Toro, however, said the unions could resume the suspended action if necessary. He welcomed the committee, saying it would allow labour representatives to examine the relevant policy document and make further contributions before the parties reconvene.
The TUC leader also called for urgent action to improve the condition of King’s College, saying the dilapidated state of the institution could not be allowed to persist.
The engagement is part of the Federal Government’s efforts to address challenges affecting public schools and improve the management and quality of education under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
