The National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN) has called on the Federal Government to suspend the proposed concession of King’s College, Lagos, insisting that stakeholders must be consulted before any decision affecting public education is implemented.

NAPTAN Secretary-General, Mr Ibrahim Yau-Nabayi, made the call while reacting to the growing controversy surrounding the planned concession arrangement.

Speaking in a telephone interview, Yau-Nabayi said parents and other important stakeholders were not adequately informed or consulted before the decision was announced.

Parents Demand Transparency

The NAPTAN official said concession arrangements were not necessarily wrong but argued that the government must clearly explain the terms, objectives and expected benefits before proceeding.

He questioned whether the arrangement would genuinely serve Nigerian children or simply transfer government responsibilities to private interests.

According to him, education should remain focused on public service rather than revenue generation.

“Education is not a revenue-generating agency; our schools are not revenue-generating agencies,” he said.

Concerns Over Fees and Teachers’ Welfare

Yau-Nabayi expressed concern that concessioning public schools could affect access for children from low-income families if costs increase.

He also raised questions about the future of teachers and other workers in affected institutions.

He said any agreement involving public schools must include clear protection measures for employees and ensure that students remain the priority.

The NAPTAN secretary-general called for the publication of details of the concession agreement to allow proper review by parents, teachers and education stakeholders.

Fear of Wider Impact on Unity Schools

The association warned that concessioning King’s College could encourage similar demands involving other Federal Unity Colleges across the country.

Yau-Nabayi said the government should carefully examine the long-term implications before extending such arrangements to other institutions.

He urged the Federal Government to suspend the process and organise consultations involving:

• Parents.
• Teachers.
• Education unions.
• School communities.
• Other relevant stakeholders.

Students Sent Home in Kaduna Unity College

Meanwhile, students of Federal Government College (FGC), Malali, Kaduna, were sent home after arriving for the new academic session.

The development followed the directive for Federal Unity Colleges nationwide to resume on Sept. 14.

According to reports, some students arrived at the school in compliance with the government’s directive but were later asked to return home.

Academic activities did not commence as the controversy surrounding the King’s College concession continued.

Parents Call for Quick Resolution

A parent, Alhaji Mustapha Ibrahim, described the situation as disappointing, saying many families had already prepared their children for school reopening.

He appealed to the government and unions to resolve their differences quickly to avoid further disruption to students’ education.

Another parent, Mrs Sylvia Nicholas, also urged all parties involved to prioritise students and find a solution through dialogue.

The principal of FGC Malali, Mr Kofi Akpan, declined to comment on the development.