The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) has proposed six alternative reform models to the proposed concession of King’s College, Lagos, urging the Federal Government to halt implementation of the 50-year agreement and undertake a comprehensive review of the deal.

The union, in a comprehensive position paper submitted to the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, and obtained by The Guardian, said the 117-year-old institution could be rehabilitated and modernised without surrendering public educational governance, workers’ rights as well as the historic institution’s public character.

The position paper, titled “Wholistic Review and Proposed Recommendations with Regard to the King’s College Concession Agreement,” was issued yesterday and signed by the Secretary-General of ASCSN, Gamaliel Acho.

According to Acho, the union’s position was an evaluation of the legal, labour, fiscal, institutional and public-interest implications of the August 7, 2026 concession agreement between the Federal Ministry of Education and King’s College Education Trust Ltd/Gte (KCET).

Among the alternatives proposed by the union is the revival of School-Based Management Committees (SBMCs), alongside the establishment of a statutory Unity Schools Trust to drive reforms across the Federal Unity Colleges.

ASCSN also proposed a national framework led by the National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC), using the commission’s statutory architecture and fund to provide direct infrastructure grants and enforce standards across Unity Colleges.

Other alternatives include adapting the intervention funding, project appraisal and monitoring principles of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) without transferring school governance; professional facility management through service-level agreements; alumni development partnerships; and a five-year pilot public-private partnership with pre-agreed performance indicators and no automatic renewal.

The union said the proposed five-year pilot PPP would provide an opportunity to test reforms before any longer-term commitment, with independent evaluation and measurable key performance indicators.

ASCSN also raised concerns over the 50-year duration of the proposed concession, arguing that Clause 4.1 of the agreement provides for an initial 50-year operational term, with renewal contemplated under Clause 4.2.

The Guardian had last week reported that the 38-page pact between the Federal Ministry of Education and the alumni association was for 50 years, and not the 35-year period widely reported in the media.

The Union said the half-a-century duration could “severely weaken” the government’s future policy flexibility over curriculum, security, technology, labour laws and public-service administration.

On funding, the union faulted the absence of a monetary concession fee payable to the Federal Government during the 50-year term, citing Clause 6.1 of the agreement.

It also questioned the status of fundraising targets, including a N250 billion ambition, N1.2 billion reportedly seeded and N800 million pledged, arguing that such targets should be converted into binding and verifiable capital commitments backed by performance security.

On workers’ welfare, the labour union warned of what it described as a “dual-authority problem”, arising from KCET exercising operational supervision while the Federal Government remains the legal employer.

It demanded that no serving Federal employee should be forced or coerced into surrendering his or her civil service appointment, while accrued entitlements, including grade, seniority, pensionable service, leave, promotion pathways, housing rights and collective bargaining rights, should be protected.

The union also raised concerns over potential termination compensation, arguing that Clauses 25 and 26 could expose the public treasury to liabilities arising from operating costs, lost future profits or unauthorised financing costs.

It therefore called for any compensation regime to be “cause-sensitive”, independently audited and adjusted for depreciation, grants and insurance.

On the heritage value of the institution, ASCSN said the Federal Government must ensure that federal land and historic facilities established in 1909 are not mortgaged, pledged or otherwise encumbered as collateral for private borrowing.

It further called for admissions to remain based on merit, national spread and non-discrimination, warning against parallel screening mechanisms and unchecked fee increases that could undermine the public character and affordability of the institution.

The union urged the government to immediately pause substantive implementation of the concession agreement pending a comprehensive legal, financial, labour and technical review involving relevant stakeholders.

It also demanded a freeze on any compulsory changes to the status of serving workers and the establishment of a Joint Staff Transition and Labour Relations Committee.

ASCSN further called for the conversion of fundraising targets into enforceable minimum investment milestones backed by performance security.

Also, the union proposed the establishment of a Cabinet-level committee to develop a national reform policy for Federal Unity Colleges, rather than pursuing what it described as individual and fragmented concessions.

The association said it supported the urgent rehabilitation, modernisation and sustainable financing of King’s College, while commending the fundraising efforts of the alumni association.

However, it maintained that reform should preserve the institution’s public character, national integration mandate and protection of workers.

“The measure of reform success must not be the execution of a private concession, but the creation of an educational system that remains excellent, affordable, public, accountable, and secure for generations of workers and students,” ASCSN said.

It added: “King’s College can be rehabilitated and modernized without surrendering the public character, national integration purpose, and worker protections that define a Federal Unity College.”

The association also maintained that “the framework must guarantee grade, seniority, pensionable service, accrued leave, promotion pathways, housing rights, and collective bargaining through recognized trade unions.”