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Nigerian Educational Research Council Meeting with Nigeria Christian Graduate Fellowship April 2016.
Textbooks in print that combine Islamic Religious Knowledge and Christian Religious knowledge in a single textbook thus exposing children to other religions which negates the principles of our constitution.
REPORT OF MEETING BETWEEN MEMBERS OF NIGERIA CHRISTIAN GRADUATEF ELLOWSHIP(NCGF) AND REPESENTATIVES OF CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA(CAN) WITH EXECUTICE SECRETARY/DIRECTORS OF NIGERIAN EDUCATIONAL AND RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL (NERDC), SHEDA, ABUJA
The Delegation was led by Dr. Sam Itina, National President of the NCGF. Other members of the delegation were:
1. Prof Charles Adeyinka Adisa (NCGF)
2. Dr Mrs. Ejiro Iwuoha (NCGF)
3. Pastor Onyenachi Nwaegeruo (NCGF)
4. Dr Josiah Kantiyok (NCGF)
5. Dr Mrs. Sabina Ofoegbu (CAN)
6. Prof Bishop Funmilayo Adesanya (CAN)
7. Rev Father Patrick Balogun (CAN)
The NERDC team was led by the Executive Secretary, Professor Ismail Junaidu in the company of 5 Directors of the council including the Director of Book publishing and Curriculum development.
The presentation of the issues with the new revised basic education curriculum was done by Prof Charles Adisa with power point slides.
Key points were
• Brief introduction of the NCGF and CAN
• Obvious lapses in the new curriculum which included
1. Inciting/Derogatory statements which attack the foundation of Christianity. For example, that Jesus was not the Son of God was not crucified and did not resurrect.
2. Textbooks in print that combine Islamic Religious Knowledge and Christian Religious knowledge in a single textbook thus exposing children to other religion which negates the principles of our constitution.
3. Absence of subjects like History, Geography and Economics in the new curriculum
4. Absence of approved list of textbooks as an appendix in the curriculum/ NERDC website
5. Watered down content of the various subjects as a result of creating an omnibus textbook.
6. Making religious studies compulsory without the adequate provision of Teachers in those subjects. The implications are that a Christian student in the core north will be forced to take IRK and ditto a Muslim student in the South. In addition, a student that refuses to take the subject as a result of conflict with his/her religion is shortchanged of marks for that compulsory subject and may have his educational career truncated.
• Recommendations viz,
• IRS and CRS should stand alone, and they should not be made compulsory
• Publishers should be supervised so that the textbooks in print are a reflection of the principles and standard of the curriculum.
• List of recommended textbooks should be incorporated as an appendix in the curriculum. In addition, this lists should be freely available on the NERDC website
• Re-introduction of History geography, economics and accounting back into the curriculum
• Curriculum developers should ensure that the content conform with our constitutional provision.
• They should be conscious of the religious and cultural sensibility of Nigerians.
Response of the Executive secretary
• NERDC will be willing to collaborate with groups like the NCGF (based on their educational endowments)
• NERDC documents goes through 3 levels of review before approval ( this was done in the case of Religion and National values) CAN was duly invited represented at all these meetings
• Two different teachers manual for IRS and CRS to reflect the separation of the two subjects.
• Religious study is compulsory so as to provide a moral framework for adherence to the teachings of civic education, social studies and security education.
• He disowned the publishers and the books currently in the market but WAS UNABLE TO GIVE US THE NAME OF ANY APPROVED TEXTBOOK MEANT FOR THE SUBJECT- AFTER 3 YEARS OF PUBLICATION OF THIS NEW CURRICULUM.
• He accepted the recommendation of listing the approved books in the appendix of the curriculum as well as on their website
• NERDC will not be able to exercise oversight function on what the schools are using, rather schools should verify from NERDC, the books that have been approved
• NERDC is in the process of achieving a regulatory statue like NAFDAC to enable them prosecute publishers that are in defiance of the standard and principles of the curriculum
• Accepted the need for further public hearing, sensitization and review of the new curriculum
• He insisted that it is the responsibility of government at various levels to provide Teachers for the subjects, and where this is not observed, parents should sue the government and demand for the requisite teachers.
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. NERDC should produce separate curriculum booklets for IRS and CRS as it is done with the Teachers manual.
2. CAN and NCGF should urgently set up a committee to review the content of the present CRS to reflect the true teachings of Christianity as the current curriculum is inferior to the previous curriculum.
3. It is necessary to adequately mobilize and sensitize the churches on the challenges posed by this curriculum to our faith. Furthermore, it is necessary for parents and churches to create time to teach their children and wards sound biblical doctrines.
4. If Recommendation No 1 is not acceptable to and implemented by NERDC, CAN and NCGF should consider other actions which may include litigations
CONCLUSION: NCGF greatly appreciates the prompt response to our distress call and collaboration with us in the defense of our precious faith.
