A storm is gathering across Federal Government Colleges — popularly known as Unity Schools — as parents accuse school administrators and Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) of misconduct, unauthorised levies, and corrupt admission practices.
Among the schools at the centre of the controversy are the King’s College, Lagos; Queen’s College, Yaba; Federal Science and Technical College, Yaba; and Federal Government College, Ijanikin.
Angry parents allege that PTA leaders, in collusion with school officials, impose illegal fees and engage in questionable financial dealings.
They also claim that some principals and teachers collect as much as N600,000 in bribes to offer admission to students.
According to Vanguard, several parents have petitioned the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, urging a thorough investigation into the activities of PTAs and the management of some unity schools.
Speaking anonymously, some parents revealed that they had paid between N500,000 and N600,000 to secure places for their children.
“The college has had many principals, but this one is perhaps the worst in the school’s history,” one parent alleged. “Even when students met the admission threshold, you still had to pay. Some parents paid as much as N600,000 to get admission for their children. This is uncalled for.”
A group of concerned parents from Queen’s College, Yaba, submitted a detailed petition to the Minister of Education, calling for immediate action against what they described as “persistent and unauthorised financial demands.”
“Dear Minister of Education, we, concerned parents of students at Queen’s College, Yaba, Lagos, humbly seek your urgent intervention regarding persistent and unauthorised financial demands placed on us by the school’s PTA and management — in clear violation of Federal Government directives,” the petition read.
The parents referenced a circular dated 19th March 2025 (Ref: SAF.27/S.12/1), which caps PTA levies at N12,000 per term for all unity colleges. However, Queen’s College continues to charge N21,500 per student, in defiance of the directive.
“This is not only unlawful but places an unbearable financial strain on many parents, especially in these challenging economic times,” they wrote.
The petition further highlighted burdensome practices such as charging N200 for a chair during visiting days and requiring parents to pay salaries for PTA-employed teachers.
“While other unity colleges are adjusting their levies, Queen’s College remains adamant. Parents are continuously burdened with extra charges.”
“PTA-employed teachers now outnumber federal teachers, raising concerns about how the school is managed. It now feels more like a privately-run institution than a Federal Unity College.”
“We have pleaded and appealed on several occasions, but our concerns are consistently ignored. We are now exhausted and left with no other option but to seek your direct intervention.”
“Please, sir, come to our aid. Queen’s College should not be allowed to operate outside the policies and principles that guide Federal Unity Schools.”
“We respectfully request a ministerial investigation and immediate action to restore order, transparency, and compliance at Queen’s College.”
At the Federal Science and Technical College, Yaba, parents have also rejected a recent increase in the PTA levy — from N7,500 to N12,000 — citing lack of transparency and accountability from both the PTA executive and school management.
In an even more dramatic turn, PTA members at Federal Government College, Ijanikin, took their own leadership to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegations of misappropriating over N40million.
The scandal led to the suspension of three students whose parents were among the agitators. While two students were later reinstated, the third remains in court contesting the school’s decision.
Despite a change in PTA leadership, concerns about the management of funds persist.
Parents at Queen’s College have also raised concerns over the school’s transition from the government-approved Remita platform to Flutterwave for fee collection, which comes with higher transaction charges.
“Another development is that QC has moved payment of PTA levy from Remita to Flutterwave. The question is, why move from a platform which takes just a token to one that’s charging N1,000 and above?” one parent asked.
“In whose interest is this? What’s the preference for Flutterwave? The chairman’s response was that they are just trying to see what other options have to offer. Why?”
“I wonder why the new PTA fee cannot commence from next session. Some of us don’t even have the strength to fight again—we fought for KC, now it’s QC, and we are still paying for a door. It is well with all of us.”
“My only worry is that the PTA money is more than the school fees. Meaning next term, I should start thinking of PTA fees instead of school fees,” another parent lamented.
During a recent visit to Lagos, Education Minister Dr. Tunji Alausa expressed concern over the growing influence of PTAs in Unity Colleges, describing their current role as an overreach.
“When we were growing up, PTA used to be just an oversight body — to put teachers in check and ensure that everything runs well. Now, PTA has turned into another administrative structure in our schools. It is not acceptable,” he said.
“They now run a parallel organisation in schools. This is the result of years of government neglect. If we had recruited more teachers, this wouldn’t have happened.”
The Minister also criticised the unregulated hiring of PTA teachers and outlined ongoing efforts to audit their numbers and qualifications, with a view to absorbing eligible ones into the federal civil service.
“We have put a stop to hiring PTA teachers. PTA cannot employ teachers who don’t meet the standards of federal recruitment.
“It pains me to see PTA teachers who’ve worked for decades earning just N30,000 to N50,000. One woman at Queen’s College has been there for 27 years earning N50,000 monthly.”
“We are doing an audit. Those who are qualified will be moved to the federal civil service, pending presidential approval.”
“In addition, President Tinubu has approved N40 billion for rehabilitation of unity colleges this year— N20 billion for fencing and security, and another N20 billion for solar energy provision. This has never been done before.”
Earlier in January, it was reported that controversies have raged at the federal science and technical college, Yaba, over increments in Parents Teachers Association fee allegedly done as an imposition on parents and without due process.
Sources in the college had noted that the authorities of the college manipulated the parents and went ahead to increase PTA fees to N11,500 as against the N5000 peg set by the country’s education ministry.
Initially, the last executive council of the PTA in the college increased the fee to N7500, allegedly without recourse to the parents, however when the former executives were leaving the fee was reduced to N5000 as stipulated by the government.
