Confusion deepens as ASCSN faction orders indefinite shutdown of unity colleges

The ministry asked principals to notify parents and guardians that students who had yet to return should resume on September 20, and to ensure that relevant staff were available to receive them.

However, the directive has been rejected by the Shehu Mohammed-led faction of ASCSN, whose Secretary-General, Joshua Apebo, insisted that the industrial action remained in force until the issues in dispute were fully resolved.

Union Faction Orders Indefinite Shutdown

In a September 18 letter addressed to state branch chairmen, chapter chairmen, unit chairmen of Federal Unity Colleges and state secretaries, the faction accused the Ministry of Education of undermining an agreement reached with ASCSN and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) on September 14.

The faction alleged that the ministry subsequently entered into a separate agreement on September 16 with individuals it said lacked the mandate and recognition of the association.

The letter, titled “Directive for Total and Indefinite Shutdown of All Federal Unity Colleges Nationwide,” ordered the immediate and indefinite closure of all Federal Unity Colleges across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

It directed members to suspend academic and administrative activities, establish monitoring teams to enforce compliance and disregard counter-directives issued by school authorities or ministry officials.

The faction said the shutdown would remain in force until its national leadership directed otherwise, arguing that the issues surrounding the King’s College concession and the agreements reached with government had not been resolved.

In a communiqué issued after an emergency virtual meeting of its zonal coordinators, the faction also accused the Ministry of Education of failing to honour key aspects of the understanding reached with labour.

It specifically cited the failure to constitute the promised broad-based committee and release documents relating to the King’s College concession.

“Up till now, the committee of relevant stakeholders promised by the Minister has not been constituted almost a week after the meeting, and the relevant documents about the concessioning of King’s College, Lagos promised by the Minister have not been made available to the Union,” the coordinators said.

The faction consequently rejected the minister’s announcement that the strike had been suspended, insisting that only the recognised leadership of the union could issue such a directive.

Parents, Schools Caught Between Directives

The dispute has been further complicated by an internal disagreement within ASCSN, with the Bala-Audu and Mohammed-led factions issuing conflicting positions on the industrial action.

The disagreement has already affected preparations for resumption in several Unity Colleges.

Parent-Teacher Associations of Federal Government Boys College, Apo, Federal Government College, Rubochi, Federal Government Girls’ College, Abaji, Federal Government College, Warri, Federal Government Girls’ College, Sagamu, Federal Government Girls College, Bwari, and Federal Government College, Onitsha, advised parents and guardians to keep their children and wards at home until further notice.

The PTA of Federal Government College, Warri, said ASCSN had directed an indefinite suspension of resumption nationwide, warning that teachers, housemasters and housemistresses, dining hall officers and other essential personnel would not be available for normal school activities.

Similarly, the PTA of Federal Government Girls’ College, Sagamu, said the proposed resumption date might not be feasible, stressing that students should not return until the industrial action was officially called off and a new resumption date communicated.

The PTA Chairman of Federal Government College, Rubochi, Audu Sumaila, said the school was unlikely to reopen on Sunday.

“With what is going on, I don’t think the school is going to open tomorrow,” he said.

Asked whether there would be resumption, he added: “No resumption till further notice.”

The PTA Chairman of Federal Government Girls’ College, Abaji, Umar Suleiman, similarly advised parents not to send their children back to school.

He cited “conflicting information” from the Federal Ministry of Education and labour union leadership and urged parents to wait for clear guidance.

“For now, there will be no school resumption until further notice,” Suleiman said.

The latest dispute follows the broader disagreement over the proposed management concession of King’s College, Lagos, to its old boys’ association.

Efforts to obtain the reaction of the Director of Press and Public Relations at the Ministry of Education, Folasade Boriowo, were unsuccessful, as she did not respond to phone calls and text messages sent to her as of the time of filing this report.

The conflicting directives have left parents uncertain about whether to send their children back to the colleges, while the dispute between the ministry and sections of organised labour remains unresolved.