FG to unbundle unity colleges into basic, secondary schools

The federal government says the 115 Federal Unity Colleges (FUCs) in the country will soon be unbundled into basic and secondary schools.

Yusuf Sununu, the minister of state for education, spoke on Tuesday at the opening of the annual general meeting of principals of unity colleges in Abuja.

Sununu said the plan to unbundle the unity colleges is in line with the National Policy on Education (NPE).

The minister said the unbundling of federal unity colleges would attract more funding to improve infrastructure, address teacher welfare, and create employment opportunities.

He said the ministry, with the support from relevant agencies of government, would ensure it is achieved in the shortest possible time.

Sununu called for the collaboration of the principals as critical stakeholders to improve the education sector.

He asked them to curb social vices, instil a maintenance culture in the students, and work with host communities to secure the colleges.

The unity schools project started in the mid-1960s as an attempt to foster inter-regional education that deemphasises tribal identity.

The earliest attempt to establish unity schools, also called federal government colleges (FGCs), was in 1966 when three of such were established in Okposi (old eastern region), Sokoto (northern region) and Warri (old midwestern region).

By the end of the civil war in 1970 and with the creation of states, the Yakubu Gowon government created more schools in all 12 states.

Currently, there are 105 unity schools across Nigeria, the fundamental idea of which is to use education as a tool for fostering unity.

This is done through their location, an admission policy that reflects ethnic diversity, and curricula that prioritise inter-relationships.