Ibrahim-Imam: FG Has No Constitutional Backing to Run Secondary Schools

Over the years, one of the greatest desires of the King’s College Old Boys Association has been to take over the running of the school from the federal government,  but has failed to reach a compromise with successive governments. As the association prepares to celebrate the 114th anniversary of the college on September 20 under a new administration, the old boys have again brought their desire to the front-burner. The President of KCOBA, Kashim Ibrahim-Imam reiterated the old boys’ readiness to effectively run the college, arguing that the federal government has other obligations, and no constitutional backing to run secondary schools. Uchechukwu  Nnaike presents excerpts

King’s College will be 114 on September 20, what is your assessment of the college?

So far so good, it is wonderful, we have done exceedingly well and we are still doing exceedingly well. The old boys, the School Based Management Committee, the principal and management of the school have all done well in keeping the flag flying, in keeping the standards. So we excelled and we still excel. We were the best and we still are the best.

What is your projection for the college in years to come? 

That it will even get better, in the sense that I believe the federal government will oblige our request. We came very close to achieving PPP under President Olusegun Obasanjo when Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili was the Minister of Education. I also raised the point that constitutionally, speaking, the federal government has no business running secondary schools. The federal government has much more important obligations like defence, security, foreign affairs, economy, among others, but secondary school is not on the exclusive list, it is not even on the concurrent list, it is on the residual list. States, yes, private organisations, yes, but the federal government, no. So it is our hope, desire and prayer that the federal government under President Bola Tinubu will hand over the management of King’s College to the old boys.

 How prepared are the old boys to manage the school?

We are quite prepared for this. If you go round the college, all the improvement on the structures, was done by the old boys. I want to appreciate the different class sets who are undertaking these and various old boys who have been contributing to the upkeep of the college.

Are you agitating for the hand over of all unity schools to their old boys or King’s College alone?

It is an anomaly that the federal government is running secondary schools. At the time it was initiated, there was justification for it, but I think it has served its purpose and going forward, the schools will best be run by the old students on the public-private partnership arrangement. We will commit to all the ideals: national character, indigent students, we will not make it an elitist school; we will make sure that students from all the states of the federation are admitted, we will maintain standards and improve infrastructure. We will commit to all of these and more in writing. We will also create an endowment fund that we can tap into in the management of the school. What we are advocating is King’s College first and then Queen’s College and all the unity schools should be returned to the old students.

What would you say is the greatest challenge of the college currently?

The issue of overpopulation, we are gradually overcoming that. When I assumed office as president of the old boys, 600 students were admitted into junior secondary one (JS1). Today, a more manageable 400 students have been admitted. When I assumed office, there were 60 students in a class. Today we have a more manageable 40 students in a class compared to my time, we were just 30, but it’s still better than having 60 students in a class. So admission is one challenge, funding is another, but again we have old boys who have risen to the challenge to provide adequate funding for the improvement of all our infrastructure, so I won’t consider that a major challenge. We just want the federal government to believe in us and to hand over the college to us. I think that is our number one challenge. 

Considering the moral decadence in the society, what is the old boys doing to ensure that the current students are properly groomed?

The theme of our annual founder’s day is always centred on issues that have to do with integrity, development, progress and unity of the country, this year’s own is not different. Secondly we have created a special programme as part of the anniversary this year on career guidance. We are inviting the successful old boys, people who have excelled in different fields to come and talk to the young boys, most especially the senior secondary three (SS3) because they are heading to the universities. So we will not be talking to them only about career, we will also talk to them about integrity, hard work, productivity, character, and so on. So generally speaking, I think that we have done well. 

Stakeholders have been clamouring for a state of emergency in education, what do you think should be the first issue to address in the sector?

The first issue is primary and secondary schools because I think they are the bedrock of education. After that we can address the universities. I think we are on track that we are talking about King’s College and the need for the federal government to hand over the management to us so that we can improve on the standards, we can also improve on infrastructure.

In the primary school section, I think the state governments should invest more. I have always advocated that education at both the primary and secondary school levels should be free, most especially at the primary school level. Not only should it be free, but it should also be made compulsory. I am from the north and you hear people talk about the almajiris and the almajiri education, now just imagine if every school age child is enrolled in school, there will be no almajiris, it’s as simple as that.

I had the privilege of growing up in Lagos; as primary school pupils in Lagos, school enrolment was 100 per cent and I believe that school enrolment in Lagos today is 100 per cent. No matter the economic background of families, every child attended school, that is the fundamental right that the Lagos State government has guaranteed over the years and I think the states in the South-west generally speaking have also done very well. I want to advocate that all the other states, most especially the states in the north should take a cue from this and make sure that primary education is made a fundamental right for every school age child.

What are activities lined up to celebrate the college’s 114th anniversary?

The Kingsweek 2023 with the theme: ‘Dismantling the Barriers: Creating a Pathway for the Emergence of Effective Leaders in Nigeria’, commences with a first-of-its kind virtual conference on Monday, September 18 where King’s College old boys across the world would gather virtually to discuss pertinent topics on the future of the school.

Tuesday, September 19 will be the ‘Back to School Day’ during which old boys would visit the school, take a tour, and inaugurate projects and items donated to the college. The tour is expected to also serve as a state-of-the-school assessment by old boys present.

The founders’ day lecture scheduled for Wednesday, September 20, is the highlight of Kingsweek. High-profile speakers, including APC gubernatorial candidate, Rivers State, Tonye Cole; ADC gubernatorial candidate, Lagos State, Funsho Doherty; APGA gubernatorial candidate, Abia State, Etigwe Uwa (SAN); House of Representatives member, Akin Rotimi and Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe would discuss the theme of Kingsweek. This session would be moderated by Tokunbo Shitta-Bey.

The future careers day will hold on Thursday, September 21, followed by a Jumat service on Friday, September 22. In winding down the week-long series of events, we shall have sporting activities on Saturday where old boys and their families would be expected to have fun, relax and share in memories from their respective times in the college. A cricket match is also scheduled to take place with old boys vs a team from the Nigerian Cricket Foundation. 

In the evening of Saturday, 23 September, a dinner hosting old boys is planned with the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi as guest speaker. This will be the first dinner hosted by the association since the COVID 19 pandemic.

This will be followed by a thanksgiving service on Sunday, September 24. To end the Kingsweek, the association will hold its annual general meeting on Sunday, September 24, and this year’s AGM is an election AGM, which will usher in a new executive committee.