•The government must consult wider; but religious lobbies must open their minds, if new curriculum on religion and citizenship must succeed
There is a storm over a new Basic Education curriculum, which by its designers, the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), is officially operative since 2014.
But it is being resisted by religious lobbies, Christian and Muslim, since the new subject comprises Christian Religious Studies (CRS), Islamic Religious Studies (IRS), Civic Education, Social Studies and Security Education, now to be called Religious and Values Education (RVE).
NERDC says the new curriculum is aimed at inculcating citizen value at a very tender age. The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), speaking through Michael Olukoya, its national president, says it has no problem with it — since it was consulted and was anxious the new curriculum shapes better future citizens.
But the religious lobbies, Christian and Muslim, demur, particularly on the sticky allegation that both CRK and IRK would be “merged”; and taught to both Christian and Muslim pupils.
However, Prof. Ismail Junaid, NERDC executive secretary, denied that allegation, maintaining that no child would be taught a religion other than his or her parent’s. Still, both religions would come under RVE, the new subject.
Yet, the religious lobbies remain skeptical, saying the very idea to teach CRS and IRS, under the same subject, was bad enough. It could breed confusion and religious crisis.
Sheik Najeemdeen Adisa of the Young Muslim Brothers and Sisters (YOUMBAS), stressed the confusion fear, linking it to the capacity to teach a five-in-one subject, when there is even suspect excellence at present, when CRS and IRS are taught as separate subjects.
Prof. Lakin Akintola, of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) insists the new curriculum reduces the role of religion in national development, a step he claims borders on godlessness.
“If the Federal Government educates Nigerians without a special place for religion,” he warns, “it will only succeed in producing clever devils.”
The Christian side of the divide is no less trenchant. ”They have no right to do it …,” Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Most Revd. Nicholas Okoh, declared. ”We recognize our differences, but we call for unity … Let Muslims be Muslims and Christians be Christians …”
From Revd. Father Ralph Madura, secretary-general, Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), came another stern warning: “It would create confusion. Every right-thinking person knows that religion is a very sensitive issue in this country.”
Still, the storm would appear driven more by mutual old fears, than fresh thinking about the good the novel experiment could deliver, especially from using the two major religions to push positive values for national cohesion, against the present stark divide along Muslim-Christian lines, even if the two faiths pledge allegiance to the same supreme being, God.
However, the fear is hardly illegitimate — the new curriculum is, after all, virgin territory! It now behoves of the government to do extensive consultations and mass enlightenment among the education and religious communities, as well as the general public, to allay these fears. In return, the religious leaders too should open their minds.
At the end of the day, it must be stressed that RVE is only a subject, in a school curriculum. Though two of its units are religious, and values to be taught would call back to African traditional beliefs and customs, it is still a school subject like history, physics, chemistry or economics.
If viewed as such, the emphasis on religion would be less. To teach CRS and IRS as school subjects belongs to the school. But to teach them as core religion is the function of churches and mosques. If that fundamental distinction is appreciated, there would be less splitting of hairs over bogeys, fired by mutual fears.
Still, the government has its work cut out, since these views cannot be decreed; and the new curriculum imposed without the cooperation of the critical stakeholders.
Besides, RVE is no isolated reform. It is part of a comprehensive curriculum review, that prunes Basic Education (the first nine years of education, free and compulsory under Nigeria’s present laws) subjects from 20 to 10.
Jettisoning the new subject, because of religious fears, will therefore jeopardise the whole process. That is why both sides must be reasonable and talk through the initial challenges.
END
Be the first to comment