BY HENRY TYOHEMBA, IGHO OYOYO, AZA MSUE, NONYE EKWENUGO, SAMUEL ABULUDE, PATRICK OCHOGA, NNAMDI MBAWIKE, KALU EZIYI, EMMANUEL MGBEAHURIKE
The federal government has said it will soon provide an update on the non-resumption of academic activities in some Federal Unity Colleges (FUCs) in Abuja and other states.
The development followed a directive by the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), Federal Ministry of Education Headquarters Chapter, ordering the immediate closure of all Federal Unity Colleges and Ministry of Education offices nationwide from Monday, September 14, 2026.
The directive, contained in a September 11 memo signed by the chapter chairman, Comrade Sampson Chigozie Ngadi, followed a union congress at which members resolved to oppose the proposed concession of some Unity Schools.
The memo, addressed to all ASCSN unit chairmen in Federal Unity Colleges, instructed them to ensure that the colleges and Ministry of Education offices remained closed until further notice.
The action came despite an earlier directive by the federal government that all Federal Unity Colleges should resume academic activities on Monday.
Reacting to inquiries by LEADERSHIP, the special adviser to the Minister of Education, Mr Attah Ikharo, said the government was committed to dialogue with the unions.
He said, “The federal government remains committed to dialogue and the welfare of workers while ensuring that ongoing education reforms serve the national interest and protect the future of Nigerian children.”
Parents of some students told LEADERSHIP that they had travelled long distances with their children in preparation for the new academic session, only to meet locked gates.
A parent whose son attends Federal Government College, Bwari, Abuja, Mrs Adeyemi Folasade, said she took her child to the school on Sunday in preparation for the announced resumption but was surprised to find the premises shut.
“I took my son to the school on Sunday because we were told that the Unity Colleges would resume on Monday, but when we got there, everywhere was locked. There was no clear information about what was happening or when the students would actually resume,” she said.
She added that the uncertainty had created unnecessary anxiety for parents who had already made arrangements for their children to return to school.
At Federal Government College, Garki, Abuja, the school was also shut on Monday, with students and workers continuing to oppose the proposed concession plan.
The Federal Ministry of Education had, in a statement issued on Friday by its director of press and public relations, Folasade Boriowo, said necessary arrangements had been put in place to ensure a safe, smooth and seamless commencement of the new academic session.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, had also assured parents and guardians that the safety and well-being of students and staff remained central to the government’s commitment to providing a secure and conducive environment for teaching and learning.
However, when LEADERSHIP sought an update on the resumption of the Federal Unity Colleges and clarification on why some schools remained closed despite the ministry’s earlier directive, the minister’s aide said the government was already addressing the issue.
According to him, Alausa was meeting with the leadership of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), ASCSN and other affiliated unions over concerns surrounding the proposed changes at King’s College, Lagos.
The meeting, attended by the Minister of State for Education, Prof Suwaiba Said Ahmad, and the Acting Permanent Secretary, Dr Folake Olatunji David, was focused on addressing workers’ concerns and finding a mutually acceptable way forward.
Students Locked Out As Workers Protest FG’s Concession Plan
