No King’s College Staff Will Be Sacked, Alausa Assures As TUC Suspends Strike
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has assured staff of King’s College, Lagos, that no member of staff will be dismissed over the ongoing controversy surrounding the management of the institution.
Alausa gave the assurance at the end of a high-level meeting between the Federal Ministry of Education, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and other stakeholders to address concerns over the arrangement for the King’s College Old Boys Association (KCOBA) to continue managing the school.
The minister also assured that the deployment of academic and non-academic staff would be carried out strictly in accordance with the Public Service Rules.
“None of the staff will be dismissed,” Alausa said, adding that there would be no demonisation or punishment of any staff member arising from the issues under consideration.
He said implementation of the arrangement for KCOBA to continue managing the institution would proceed, while a seven member high level committee would be constituted to review the existing agreement and consider additional recommendations.
The committee will comprise two representatives of the Federal Ministry of Education, including the Minister of State for Education and the Acting Permanent Secretary; one representative of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment; two senior representatives of the TUC; and two representatives of KCOBA.
According to the minister, the committee will have one to two weeks to complete its assignment and submit its recommendations for consideration.
Alausa said the meeting was conducted in the spirit of mutual respect and national interest, acknowledging that stakeholders might not get everything they wanted but stressing that dialogue and deliberation remained the best route to resolving the issues.
He reiterated that all academic and non-academic staff of King’s College would continue to be treated in line with the Public Service Rules, with no infringement of the rules regarding their deployment.
Responding to the outcome of the meeting, TUC General Secretary, Comrade Nuhu Toro, described the engagement as “fruitful and robust,” saying the concerns raised by the unions had been openly presented and considered in good faith.
Toro announced that the TUC would suspend the industrial action earlier directed against its affiliates to allow the newly constituted committee to complete its assignment.
He, however, said the unions reserved the right to resume the suspended action if necessary.
The TUC General Secretary welcomed the establishment of the committee, saying it would provide the unions with an opportunity to examine the relevant policy document, raise their concerns and contribute to its consideration before the parties reconvene within the stipulated period.
Toro also called for urgent intervention to address the condition of King’s College, stressing that the status quo could not continue and that the dilapidated state of the institution required immediate attention.
He described the outcome of the meeting as a “win win” situation, noting that the unions had secured assurances on the concerns of their members while the government had demonstrated willingness to revisit issues requiring further consideration.
The engagement is part of the Federal Government’s broader efforts to strengthen the management and condition of public educational institutions and improve the quality of learning.
Alausa reaffirmed the government’s commitment to continued engagement with the unions and other stakeholders, saying the process would be guided by mutual respect, the law and the national interest.
He further assured stakeholders that the government would continue to work with them to strengthen King’s College, preserve its heritage and improve the learning environment while protecting the interests of students and staff.
