The Forgotten Federal Colleges: Are Prestigious Unity Schools Turning into Semi-Private Institutions?

Nigeria’s Federal Unity Colleges—once the pride of the nation—are increasingly straying from their roots. These institutions, established after the civil war to foster unity and provide affordable education, now seem to be leaning more toward semi-privatization, burdening parents and straying from their original mission.
At the heart of this controversy is Queen’s College, Yaba, where parents have taken to petitioning the Federal Ministry of Education. They allege that despite clear government regulations, the school charges an unauthorized N21,500 PTA levy per term—almost double the N12,000 cap. On top of that, an additional N2,500 charge for foreign language fees for Junior Secondary School students adds to the growing financial strain on parents.
But the complaints go deeper. Parents argue they are now forced to fund the salaries of PTA-employed teachers due to a shortage of federal staff. What was once a government responsibility is increasingly being offloaded onto families. For many, Queen’s College now feels more like a privately-run institution than a publicly funded school.
This issue isn’t isolated. Across the country, similar complaints are echoing from Federal Unity Colleges. From mismanagement of PTA funds to hidden fees, these schools are becoming increasingly privatized, straining the very families they were meant to serve.
Despite these complaints, the Federal Government has yet to deliver any significant changes, even as they restructure Unity Colleges to attract more funding. For now, parents continue to face escalating costs, while the noble vision of these schools slips further from reach. What was once a beacon of hope for all Nigerians may soon be a privilege for only the few.