By Glory Akpan

The Unity Schools Old Students Association (USOSA) has raised concerns over the planned concession of lands belonging to some unity schools by the Federal Government.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the members of the association, drawn from over 60 unity schools across the country, expressed their concerns during an awareness walk and rally on Saturday in Lagos.

The members, some carrying placards with captions including, “PPP: Save the Future” and “Schools are not for Real Estate”, urged the Federal Government to engage alumni associations in funding and developing the institutions.

Speaking at the rally, Humphrey Nwafor, Lagos Chapter President of the Federal Government College, Kano Old Students Association, said the alumni support Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) but oppose the sale of educational assets.

Nwafor said 33 hectares of land belonging to FGC Kano was concessioned without adequate consultation with stakeholders.

“We are saying there is a better option. Instead of selling our lands and assets, we would rather fund the schools ourselves.

“If the government says it does not have enough money to run the schools, the old students can provide support without taking one inch of land,” he said.

According to him, the concession arrangement involving the school’s land will undermine the future of unity schools established to promote national integration.

“These schools are building the unity of this country.

“They were established to unite Nigerians from different ethnic and religious backgrounds.

“We are appealing to President Bola Tinubu to intervene and ensure that public educational assets are protected,” Nwafor said.

Also speaking, the President-General of USOSA, Jos, Michael Magaji, said unity schools are nation-building institutions that have produced leaders across various sectors.

According to Magaji, alumni associations have long contributed to school infrastructure and educational support.

He called on the Federal Government to leverage alumni networks in addressing funding challenges confronting unity schools.

“We are in solution mode and impact mode.

“We believe alumni associations should be integrated into the process of repositioning these schools.

“We recently met with officials of the Federal Ministry of Education and discussions are ongoing toward finding mutually beneficial solutions,” he said.

Magaji said the association was advocating a sustainable funding model that would preserve educational assets while improving infrastructure, manpower and learning conditions.

Similarly, Mr Alex Akindumila, President of FGC Idoani Alumni Association, said the concession controversy was a national test of how public assets and educational institutions were being managed.

Akindumila warned that reducing lands allocated to unity schools could limit future expansion, agricultural projects, sports facilities, technical workshops and staff accommodation.

“The lands allocated to unity schools were deliberate and visionary.

“They were designed to ensure that the schools remain self-sustaining and adaptable to future needs,” he said.

He added that the schools remained central to Nigeria’s unity and development agenda.

Also, Mrs Ifeoma Okeke, an alumna of FGC Ileja, called for transparency, due process and stakeholder engagement in any PPP arrangement involving educational institutions.

She said PPP agreements should align with the public purpose of the schools and not diminish their long-term capacity.

“There must be transparency, competitiveness and proper stakeholder engagement in any concession process involving public educational assets,” she said.

Mr John Duru, another alumnus of FGC Kano, said alumni associations represented a major but underutilised resource in supporting education in Nigeria.

Duru said alumni bodies across unity schools possessed the financial and professional capacity to support infrastructure, curriculum development and innovation without disposing of school lands.

“This is about more than land. It’s about legacy.

“It’s about whether institutions built with foresight and sacrifice will be preserved with the same care that were built and preserved.

“We are not against development or partnership but we are against exclusion and erosion of public educational assets,” he said.

Samuel Valentine, an alumnus of FGC Port Harcourt, said the rally was held to support FGC Kano and protest the government’s planned concession of the school’s land.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Folasade Adeniran