Federal Unity Colleges in Nigeria are facing widespread allegations of corruption and mismanagement, as parents accuse school administrators and Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) of extorting money and violating government directives. Reports indicate that some parents paid as much as N600,000 to secure admission for their children, despite meeting merit-based requirements. Additionally, PTAs in schools such as Queen’s College, King’s College, and others in Lagos are collecting levies far above the N12,000 per term mandated by the Federal Ministry of Education.
At Queen’s College, parents petitioned the Minister of Education over unlawful levies, including a mandatory religion fee and charges for services such as chair rentals on visiting days. PTA-employed teachers reportedly outnumber federal staff, leading to concerns about accountability. The PTA Chairman defended the extra charges, citing government neglect and the dire condition of school facilities as justification for supplementary funding.
Other schools, including King’s College and Federal Science and Technical College, Yaba, are also embroiled in similar controversies. In Ijanikin, PTA members previously dragged each other to the EFCC over N40 million in alleged fund misappropriation. Additionally, concerns were raised over the shift from Remita to Flutterwave for payments, which increases transaction costs for parents.
Education Minister Dr. Tunji Alausa criticized the PTAs’ overreach, emphasizing their role as voluntary oversight bodies rather than administrative authorities. He announced government plans to integrate qualified PTA teachers into the federal civil service and invest N40 billion in upgrading Unity Colleges, including funds for security and solar energy.
