Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has urged the federal government to halt a proposed public‑private partnership that would hand control of King’s College, Lagos, to its Old Boys’ Association. The rights group demands that the legal and contractual basis for the arrangement be made public before any concession proceeds.
In a press statement, HURIWA’s national coordinator, Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, warned that an alumni association cannot automatically become the proprietor or de facto manager of a federal school simply because it has contributed to its development. “King’s College is a national institution within Nigeria’s public education system and should not be transferred or subjected to a management arrangement without strict adherence to due process, applicable laws and public accountability,” Onwubiko said.
The proposed partnership, described by the school’s Old Boys’ Association president Kashim Ibrahim‑Imam as a PPP rather than a sale or privatisation, has sparked controversy. HURIWA argues that the PPP label does not answer essential questions about who will control the school, for how long, or under what legal authority.
- Who will control the school?
- For how long?
- Under what law?
- Who will determine policy?
- Who will control finances?
- Who will employ or transfer teachers?
- Who will determine fees?
- What happens to the school’s public assets?
- What happens when the PPP expires?
“Money donated to a public institution does not become a title deed to that institution,” HURIWA said. The group insists that financial contributions from former students should be channeled through a properly governed development fund or endowment with clear rules on management and deployment, rather than granting ownership or management rights.
“King’s College is not an inheritance to be shared among former students. It is a national institution. It belongs within Nigeria’s public education system and must remain accessible, accountable and subject to lawful public oversight.”
HURIWA calls for an immediate, transparent dialogue involving workers, parents, students, the Old Boys’ Association, education authorities and other stakeholders. It also demands that the minister of education disclose the proposed concession agreement, approval documents, legal basis, duration, financial obligations, management structure and safeguards for students and workers before any irreversible decision is taken.
<small>Source: Vanguard News — read the original story there.</small>
