Oyedepo urged the federal government to be mindful of the educational policy
Bishop David Oyedepo of the Living Faith Church spoke after an emergency meeting of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN)
The PFN also warned the federal government against the educational policy of removing CRK as a stand-alone subject
Bishop David Oyedepo, the general overseer of Living Faith Church, also known as Winners Chapel has issued a strict warning to the federal government.
Oyedepo’s warning concerns the controversial introduction of Islamic Studies to schools’ curriculum and the merging of the Christian Religious Knowledge (CRK) with other subjects.
The clergyman warned against compelling secondary school students of Christian backgrounds to offer Islamic Studies.
Speaking after an emergency meeting of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) in Lagos on Thursday, June 29, Oyedepo said the government does not have the right to force any student to study a particular subject.
He said stopping Christian Religion Knowledge in secondary schools meant that it would not be encouraged in tertiary institutions.
“You cannot force our students to study Islamic Studies or Arabic Studies,” he said.
The PFN, which is presided over by Rev Felix Omobude, also expressed concerns about the development.
“The PFN is concerned at the contention and controversy that have attended the revised Basic Education Curriculum, especially the unnecessary collapse of Christian Religious Studies as part of an omnibus subject known as Religion and National Values.
“We note the explanation by the NERDC on some of the issues raised.
“However, the PFN maintains that whatever the case, there is really no need nor is there any justification for the needless confusion and uncertainty the NERDC has created which has opened up the implementation of the curriculum to the whims and caprices of people with vested interests who want to impose their religious preferences on pupils.
“The PFN calls for an immediate reversal of the change of curriculum so that Christian Religious Studies can stand on its own as a separate subject just as it has always been.
“Collapsing CRS as only a part of Religion and National Values forecloses the opportunity of the subject being studied at the tertiary level by students who might so desire and this is unacceptable to us.”
The Incorporated Trustees of Kingdom Human Rights Foundation International, has instituted a legal action against the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, the minister of education, Adamu Adamu and the federal ministry of education for allegedly removing Christian Religious Studies (CRS) from the academic curriculum of studies for Nigerian schools.However, the federal government has denied that Islamic studies has been introduced to school curriculum.
In a statement, the management of the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) says that Christian Religious Knowledge (CRK) is still being taught in schools as a separate distinct subject with the accompanying teacher's guide.
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