Revised curriculum: Niger CAN commends FG, calls on states to implement directives

Niger State Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has commended the Federal Government’s directive to make Christian Religious Knowledge (CRK) and Islamic Religious Knowledge (IRK) separate subjects in the basic education curriculum in secondary schools in the country.

Speaking with TribuneChurch, the state Chairman, CAN, Reverend (Dr) Mathias Echioda, called on the state government to immediately implement the directives.

“It is a welcome development because a government that does not listen to the people will have itself to blame. A government that listens is a responsible one. The earlier step was a wrong one; they have not been able to really convince us why the change was made in the first place. We are grateful that they listened to common sense and the cry of the people,” he stated.

He called on government at all levels to always consult relevant stakeholders before taking decisions, urging states to promptly respond to the directive and engage teachers for the subjects.

“Let it go beyond rhetoric; they should swing into action because the purpose of the change is to make things work. Application is the reason for learning. Where there is no application, learning is useless.

“So, let the state government not hide its head anywhere. They should all come out as has been made known nationally, implement the directive so that children will be brought up in the fear of God and of course morally, so that we will have a better country than what we presently have,” he advised.

Responding to the call by CAN, the state Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Hajiya Fatima Madugu, has assured of the government’s readiness to implement the directive.

“Based on the Federal Government’s pronouncement, we (the state government) will equally implement it accordingly. It will be implemented because all arrangements have been put in place for us to implement it. We cannot violate the Federal Government’s directive; it will be implemented accordingly and very soonest,” she stated.