The federal government has bowed to pressure and reversed the decision to merge Christian Religious Knowledge (CRK) with Islamic Religious Knowledge (IRL).
The Nigerian Educational and Development Council (NERDC) has therefore been directed to reinstate CRK and IRL as separate subjects in the country’s education curriculum.
The Minister of State for Education, Anthony Anwuka at a meeting with commissioners of Education and stakeholders in Abuja on Thursday said the reversal became necessary given the controversy the policy change generated in the country.
Anwuka, who represented the minister of Education, Alhaji Adamu Adamu said that the policy initiative aimed at reducing the number of subjects thought in schools was initiated by the previous government.
He said, “There were complaints by parents that children were overloaded with so many subjects and the recommendation then was to merge one or two subjects.”
“Unfortunately, water and oil were merged together and it is not working.
“So, to save ourselves the agony, the two subjects should be separated. We push that to the NERDC.”
“We recognise that the task of revamping the education sector is challenging, the ministry of education cannot do it alone. Our task is to coordinate national efforts to meet our national goals and objectives,” he added.
“It is our belief that with good planning, appropriate investment of resources, transparency, due process, effective collaboration and coordination of inputs and activities of government and that of all stakeholders, we will realise our vision of providing quality education to build and sustain adequate human capital for national development.”
It will be recalled that the decision of the federal government to merge the two subjects was met with opposition from the Christian community because of the course outline that promoted Islam as superior to Christianity.
The opposition was spearheaded by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), and the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN).
They were joined in the fight last week by the Christian Elders Forum, a body of retired general and elder statesmen from the middle belt and southern Nigeria.