FG denies de-listing Christian, Islamic subjects

The Nigerian government has denied de-listing Christian Religion Knowledge and Islamic Studies from the country’s education curriculum.
Acting Executive Secretary, Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), Mrs. Kate Nwufo, made the denial yesterday in an interview with Premium Times.

“We have developed a curriculum on Religion and National Values to expose pupils to see relationship between moral values, which entails religion, social values and civic values,” Nwufo said.
She said the NERDC developed the curriculum in partnership with the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC).
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) had told Premium Times that CRS, specifically, had been dropped from the latest curriculum, leaving only Islamic Studies.

“If you look at the curriculum, you will see that the religious subjects were removed for unknown reasons,” President of CAN, Samson Ayokunle, told Premium Times by phone Monday.
The cleric said CRK was merged with civic studies, saying that was not good for the country.
He linked growing criminal activities in the country to a lack of early religious education for children.
“Criminal activities are growing at an alarming rate all over the country. Just last week, we saw somebody’s son that was arrested in Lagos for his notorious kidnapping offences,” Ayokunle said in reference to the arrest of the notorious kidnapper, Chukwudi Onwuamadike, a.k.a., Evans.
He said the latest curriculum had been in the making for more than two decades before education authorities began tampering with religious studies.

“Especially in Ilorin, there is no CRS in the time table of the concluded examination,” he said.
But, Nwufo strongly denied the allegations and said the Christian leaders were dissipating their energy on unfounded claims.
“People, especially, leaders should be careful of the information peddle around and take their time to make findings.
“We live in a sensitive society, therefore, we should come together and not destabilise the country as it will affect everybody, we should avoid escalating issues”, she said.

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