Christian Group Provides Insight Into The CRK/IRS Controversy

A Christian group, Nigeria Christian Graduate Fellowship [NCGF] has shed more light into the raging controversial withdrawal of the Christian Religious Knowledge [CRK] from school curriculum.

NCGF provided the insight in response to a request for a copy of the Federal Ministry of education 9 year basic education curriculum on “Religion and National Values” book by a concerned citizen.

The document was personally signed by the president of NCGF, Prof Charles Adeyinka Adisa.

According to Prof Adisa, the document was based on a book produced by the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), a parastatal under the Ministry of Education. 

Read Prof Adisa’s response below: 

THE ISSUES WITH THE CURRICULUM 

1. On pages 17 and 46 of the “Religion and National Values”  curriculum for Primary one to three (Primary 1-3) are statements that are not only inciting but derogatory to a particular religious belief and faith ( Christianity). 

Specifically… 

a) On page 17 under Theme Islamic studies and Sub theme Sarah and Tahdib

– Primary 1 to 3 pupils in their formative years are taught the Supremacy of Prophet Mohammed and the Quran over all others.

– That Mohammed was the seal of all the Prophets sent to the whole world and Quran the final guidance of Allah to mankind. 

b) In page 46 of the same book produced with taxpayers’ money who include Muslims and non-Muslims 

– That Prophet Isa known to Christians as Jesus Christ is not the son of God; 

– That Jesus was not crucified. 

What a blasphemy!

The implications are the creation of a sense of supremacy of Islam over other faiths and completely denigrating Christianity. 

If this has been restricted to Muslims alone, that could have been excused, but putting it in a curriculum for all is provocative and insulting. 

The Nigeria Christian Graduate Fellowship took this matter up with the current executive director of NERDC and his team in Abuja and I was a member of the NCGF team. 

NERDC RESPONSE 

1. The two subjects are to be taught separately. A Muslim will take Islamic study and a Christian pupil CRK. 

NCGF RESPONSE 

Theoretically, this is true, but in actual practice, this is not the truth. 

We gave examples of several states in the North where the state governments refused to employ CRK teachers including Niger state where CAN (Christian Association of Nigeria) even offered to send volunteer CRK teachers and the government still refused. 

As the subject is compulsory for the students, the Christian students in those states are forced to listen to such negative teachings at such a tender, highly impressible age. 

NERDC EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR RESPONSE 

Parents of such Christian students should take the government to court. 

We replied that it was ridiculous as it is the duty of the state to ensure fundamental rights of the citizens which include freedom of association and religion. 

We also informed him of the slow process of the Nigerian judicial matters. 

Our recommendations 

1. The offending statements should be expunged from the curriculum. 

2. If the state governments can not provide adequate teachers for the 2 subjects, then the 2 subjects should not be compulsory at all. 

Thank you once again for your interest. 

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