The development has cast doubt on the planned resumption of students on Sunday, as the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) said it would assess the situation and inform parents by Thursday whether the school would reopen.
The Federal Ministry of Education, in a letter dated September 4, 2026, said all processes for the concession of the college to KCOBA had been completed and ordered the immediate commencement of the handover.
The letter, signed on behalf of the Minister of Education by the Director overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Dr O. P. Olasoju-David, stated that the concession agreement had been signed and that the ministry had made arrangements for the transfer of the institution to the old boys’ association.
The ministry also announced the constitution of a transition committee to oversee the process, directing that the transfer be completed within six months.
According to the ministry, Federal Government funding for the college would cease at the end of the transition period.
It further instructed the school principal to provide the transition committee with a list of staff who wished to remain under the Federal Civil Service Commission.
Reacting to the development, Chairman of the King’s College PTA, Peter Oluwaleye, said parents were briefed during an emergency stakeholders’ meeting on Monday after the ministry’s directive was received.
He said the staff union subsequently shut the school, restricting movement in and out of the premises.
“The staff union has declared an immediate shutdown of the college. No more entrance and exit,” Oluwaleye said.
He said the shutdown could disrupt Sunday’s scheduled resumption, adding that the PTA would provide parents with an update by Thursday.
“Between today and Thursday, we will let all parents know if the school can be reopened for Sunday resumption or not,” he said.
Oluwaleye advised parents to continue preparing their children for resumption but urged them to delay buying perishable items until the situation becomes clearer.
The PTA chairman also reiterated the association’s opposition to the concession, arguing that students were admitted into King’s College as beneficiaries of a Federal Government institution and should be allowed to complete their education under the same arrangement.
He questioned the decision to complete the transition within six months, particularly because some newly admitted students still have several years before graduation.
“Six months to do what? Six months to hand over. Why will it be only six months when we have some of our students that I just admitted; they have five, six years to graduate?” he asked.
Oluwaleye further accused the Federal Government of failing to adequately consult parents and demanded access to the concession agreement.
“Where is the agreement? You should be able to be privy to all the terms of the agreement,” he said.
He added that the PTA would continue discussions with the government and other stakeholders while considering lawful options available to the association.
The PTA had previously rejected the concession, warning that transferring the management of the school to KCOBA could affect the affordability and accessibility of education at the institution.
Following its Annual General Meeting, the association said King’s College was established to provide quality and affordable education to Nigerian children irrespective of their socioeconomic backgrounds.
It expressed concern that the new arrangement could result in higher tuition and other charges, potentially placing the school beyond the reach of lower-income families.
The association clarified that it was not opposed to private-sector participation in education but insisted that any partnership must protect affordability, equity, accessibility and the wider public interest.
It also criticised what it described as inadequate consultation with parents, teachers and the host community and called for the suspension of the concession pending broader stakeholder engagement.
The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) also condemned the move, calling for the immediate suspension and reversal of the concession.
In a statement signed by its National President, Yinka Folarin, and General Secretary, Idris Afees, the organisation described the policy as a “dangerous policy shift” with wider implications for public education and Federal Unity Schools.
The group questioned the details of the concession, including the assets and responsibilities being transferred to KCOBA and the measures put in place to prevent increased fees or the exclusion of children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
CDHR particularly objected to the proposed withdrawal of Federal Government funding after six months, arguing that government should address the underfunding of public schools rather than withdraw its financial commitment.
“Government cannot establish a public institution, benefit from its national character for generations, and then announce that its financial responsibility will terminate after handing its management to another entity,” the group said.
KCOBA, however, has maintained that the arrangement does not amount to the sale or privatisation of King’s College.
The association said the partnership with the Federal Government was designed to rehabilitate, modernise and sustain the institution.
Its President, Kashim Ibrahim-Imam, previously described the initiative as the beginning of a “King’s College Renaissance.”
The latest development follows a protest staged by hundreds of parents and students in Lagos last Thursday against the proposed concession.
The protesters marched from the school gate through parts of Lagos Island to Tafawa Balewa Square and the National Museum, displaying placards bearing messages such as “King’s College is not for sale” and “Federal Government, we say no to concession.”
The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria has also opposed the concession of
King’s College and other Federal Government colleges, warning that transferring their management to private organisations could increase costs for families and put the jobs of teachers and other workers at risk.
