Confusion has hit Federal Government Unity Colleges across Nigeria as a faction of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN, has ordered an indefinite shutdown of 117 Unity Colleges.
The directive defies the Federal Government’s order for schools to resume on Sunday, September 20.
The crisis is linked to a dispute over the planned concession of King’s College, Lagos.
The Guardian reports that the Ministry of Education had directed all Unity Colleges to resume on September 20 ahead of the new academic session, but the factional ASCSN instructed its members not to comply.
In a circular, the association said the shutdown was to protest the alleged plan to concession King’s College to private investors, describing the move as a threat to public education and job security.
The Federal Government has, however, maintained that the concession arrangement is aimed at improving infrastructure and quality of education in the college.
Parents and students have been thrown into confusion as some Unity Colleges remained locked while others partially complied with the resumption directive.
The Ministry of Education is yet to issue a fresh statement on the standoff as of press time.