The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, and labour unions in the Federal Ministry of Education have reached a two-week truce to end the immediate crisis over the proposed 35-year concession of King’s College, Lagos, and the disruption of activities in Federal Unity Colleges nationwide.

Under a five-point agreement reached at a meeting between the education ministers and representatives of the unions on Wednesday, the workers agreed to immediately suspend their industrial action, paving the way for the reopening and resumption of academic activities in more than 100 Federal Unity Colleges affected by the dispute.

The agreement also provides for a two-week pause in the implementation of the proposed takeover of the management of King’s College by its old students’ association.

The Guardian reports that the ceasefire gives both sides time to review the contentious arrangement.

As part of the pact, the Federal Government also agreed that no worker would be victimised for participating in the industrial action, while policemen deployed to the premises of King’s College would be redeployed.

The meeting further resolved to constitute a seven-man committee to negotiate and critically examine the Federal Government’s agreement with the King’s College old students, with a view to addressing the concerns raised by the unions.

The development effectively suspends the immediate confrontation between the ministry and the unions, while creating a two-week window for negotiations on the King’s College concession and other grievances raised by the workers.

Earlier in press conference, Dr Alausa declared that there was no going back on the Federal Government’s proposed concession despite mounting opposition from workers, parents and other stakeholders.

He stressed that the government had followed due process in arriving at the decision and remained committed to the concession as part of efforts to improve the school’s infrastructure, resources and overall management.

The minister maintained that the proposed concession was not an abandonment of the institution by the Federal Government, but a move intended to address infrastructure and management challenges and improve the quality of education at the college.

He, however, accused some directors in the Federal Ministry of Education of fuelling the controversy by mobilising workers against the government’s decision.

He alleged that misinformation about the concession was being deliberately circulated by some union members and what he described as “unscrupulous” staff of the ministry.

“Misinformation has been going around, perpetuated by union members and unscrupulous members of staff of the Federal Ministry of Education,” he said.

Alausa also took aim at the Parent-Teacher Association of King’s College, accusing it of turning admission into a lucrative enterprise and allegedly demanding as much as N20 million from prospective students.

“The PTA of King’s College has turned admission into King’s College into criminal enterprise,” he alleged.

His declaration came amid escalating opposition by workers in the ministry and other stakeholders, who have raised concerns over concession of the 117-year old institution to the King’s College Old Boys Association.

According to him, the alumni had spent over N2billion on the institution with nothing to show for it.

He explained that, contrary to reports circulated by the workers, the school was not for sale, stressing that the Federal Government would retain full ownership of the school despite the proposed management arrangement with the Old Boys Association. “We haven’t sold it to them. The property still remains Federal Government property,” Alausa said, insisting that the government retains 100 per cent ownership of the school.

Alausa also assured workers that the proposed management arrangement would not result in job losses or demotions, stressing that affected staff would retain their appointments and existing levels within the public service.

He said the government had considered the concerns of the workers and would ensure that their employment rights and benefits were protected throughout the process.

He explained that workers who might be affected by the arrangement would have the option of being redeployed to other federal institutions within the education sector where their services were needed.

According to him, teachers and non-academic staff could be posted to other Unity Colleges and federal institutions, with the government maintaining that no worker would be forced out of employment as a result of the proposed concession.