CRK not removed from curriculum — Education Minister

Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo

As controversy continues to trail the alleged removal of Christian Religious Knowledge, CRK, in the Basic Education Curriculum by the Federal Government, Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, yesterday, said there was no truth in the allegation. Christian Religious Knowledge not removed from curriculum.

Education Minister According to him, the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, was deceived to believing that CRK has been removed from the curriculum. The minister’s declaration came as Director-General of Nigerian Education Research and Development Council, NERDC, Prof Ismail Junaidu, clarified in a statement, Tuesday night, that CRK was still being taught in schools, contrary to speculations.

Amid this controversy, the Federal Executive Council, FEC, yesterday turned down the blueprint presented by the Minister of Education to revamp education in the country, opting for a retreat to have a holistic view of the problems bedevilling the education sector and proffer solutions to them. 

CAN had reportedly confronted the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, last week to confirm the rumour making the round that CRK had been removed from the curriculum and had become a theme in Civic Education, while Islamic Arabic Studies/French had been introduced in the new curriculum and that pupils/students will be mandated to compulsorily study either Islamic Arabic Studies or French. It was also alleged that with the development, Christian students will be left with no option than to study Islamic Arabic Studies since French teachers will be more or less non-existent in schools. 

But briefing State House correspondents after the Federal Executive Council, FEC, the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, said  the present administration had never taken any decision to remove CRK from the curriculum and that the ministry had prepared a blueprint to be presented to FEC which had not been considered.

The minister further disclosed that the National Council on Education had accepted a proposal he presented to the effect that teaching and learning of CRK should be made compulsory for all Christian students and that of Islamic studies compulsory for all Muslim students.

Vanguard