Relief has come in sight for thousands of students in Federal Unity Colleges as the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) has directed teachers under its fold to return to the classrooms and resume academic activities.

The directive is expected to ease tensions that had disrupted the reopening of the colleges for first term academic activities following the industrial action by workers under the Joint Workers Committee of Union (JWC) of the Federal Ministry of Education.

ASCSN, which represents a significant segment of workers in the ministry, including teachers in the 117 Federal Unity Colleges, had been part of the strike opposing the proposed concession of King’s College, Lagos, and other grievances against the Federal Ministry of Education.

In a statement on Friday, ASCSN Secretary-General, Comrade Gamaliel Acho, said the union had suspended its industrial action over the proposed concession of King’s College, Lagos, following a conciliatory meeting with the Federal Ministry of Education and other organised labour unions on September 17, 2026, where the proposed concession was placed on hold for two weeks to allow for further consultation and review.

Gamaliel said a seven-man high-level committee comprising representatives of the Federal Ministry of Education, organised labour, the King’s College Old Boys Association (KCOBA) and the Federal Ministry of Labour had been constituted to comprehensively review the concession agreement and related issues.

“The Committee is expected to submit its report and recommendations within two weeks,” he said, adding that ASCSN had consequently directed its members to suspend the industrial action pending the outcome of the review, in line with the signed communiqué.

Gamaliel said the union appreciated the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa; the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad; the Acting Permanent Secretary; directors and other ministry officials for their willingness to engage with the unions and address their concerns.

He disclosed that Alausa had also offered an “unreserved apology” over what the union described as inadequate prior engagement with affected ASCSN stakeholders.

The ASCSN secretary-general equally commended the Joint Workers Committee of Unions for its “determination, resilience and solidarity,” as well as the Parent-Teacher Association of King’s College, Lagos, and staff and union members of the 117 Federal Unity Colleges for their support.

He further said the police detachment deployed to King’s College, Lagos, had been withdrawn, while the parties agreed that no staff member would be victimised, harassed, sanctioned or punished for participating in the industrial action arising from the dispute.

“ASCSN notes the immediate withdrawal of the police detachment deployed to King’s College, Lagos, and the agreement that no staff member shall be victimised, harassed, sanctioned or punished for participating in the industrial action,” he said.

Gamaliel said ASCSN remained committed to dialogue, constructive engagement, the rule of law and due process, adding that the union would participate actively and responsibly in the review process.

“We reaffirm our commitment to dialogue, constructive engagement, rule of law and due process, and will participate actively and responsibly in the review process,” he said.

He urged members and other stakeholders to remain calm and maintain industrial peace, stressing that the suspension of the industrial action was a step towards resolving the dispute and did not amount to abandoning the issues that triggered the protest.

The Guardian gathered that the labour unions have concluded plans to visit King’s College as part of their fact-finding mission to assess the school’s infrastructure, examine the concerns surrounding the proposed concession and gather firsthand information that will inform their position during the review process.

The development also comes against the backdrop of growing concerns among parents over the prolonged disruption, with some schools reportedly unable to fully resume despite directives from the Federal Ministry of Education.

The dispute had escalated in recent days, with the JWC accusing the ministry of taking decisions without adequate consultation with the unions, particularly over the proposed concession of the institution. The unions had also raised concerns over the management of the ministry and other administrative issues.

With ASCSN now directing Unity College teachers to resume classes, attention shifts to the seven-man committee, which has been given two weeks to review the proposed concession, examine the concerns raised by the unions and submit its recommendations, with the outcome expected to determine the next phase of the contentious arrangement.