Rearming moral education

The Royal Fathers also appealed for the re-introduction of the teaching of indigenous history in schools. The council is jointly headed by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, and the Ooni of Ife Oba Okunade Sijuwade.  In a communiqué, the council decried what it said was the inability of existing educational curriculum to […]

The Royal Fathers also appealed for the re-introduction of the teaching of indigenous history in schools. The council is jointly headed by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, and the Ooni of Ife Oba Okunade Sijuwade.
 In a communiqué, the council decried what it said was the inability of existing educational curriculum to address basic national issues, blaming that failure for rise in high rate of unemployment, poverty and security challenges. To begin to redress it, the traditional rulers called on the federal government to make the teaching of religious studies compulsory at the senior secondary school level.
The existing National Policy on Education makes religious studies compulsory for students only up to the end of the 9-year basic education.  Part of the critical formative years that run till end of the senior secondary school is thus left out
 The traditional rulers’ concern may be informed by the need to bridge this gap; and they are right.
Religious instruction is that part of the school curriculum that aims at inculcating values and attitudes in citizens that are in tune with cultures and mores of the society. This is to ensure their full integration into the multi-faith Nigerian society. Contents of religious instruction particularly at the senior secondary school level help to mellow brutish instincts in adolescent young people, including disrespect for constituted authority which is the most critical of the forms of indiscipline manifested by the young at this stage of their physical development. Lessons taken in religious studies also act as restraint on predilection to wrongdoing and as incentive to good behaviour.
The government should consider the position of the traditional rulers on this important issue by making the teaching and learning of religious studies at the senior secondary level compulsory.
While the call by the traditional rulers deserves support because it is important for the moral health of the nation, it must be added that making the study of religious studies compulsory at the senior school level is only a necessary but not the ultimate solution to address the moral laxity that is today pervasive in the country. It would make no difference if, as a policy, religious studies were made compulsory while at the same time the public and private life of those who should lead by example run contrary to public morality, ethical values and cultural norms.
The clergy in Nigeria like the political leaders in Nigeria, for instance, have not been exemplary enough to youths and children. More often than not, the present generation of young people watch clips on television screens or listen to radio broadcast of how teachers reportedly defile under-aged girls; how government officials embezzle public funds; how traditional rulers compromise their integrity through open and partisan relationship with politicians; and how parents have become wanting in their naturally assigned responsibility of providing care and love for their children. Beyond improving the status of religious studies in the senior school curriculum, the clergy must go beyond verbal preachments. Political leaders, traditional rulers and parents must each live up to their responsibility of leading and guiding.
The re-introduction of indigenous history is also worthy of consideration. The replacement of history at the basic school level about three decades ago with social studies has had negative impact on the sense of history of the new generation Nigerian citizens, alienating them from the basic knowledge of the history and geography of their immediate community. Worse is the laissez-faire attitude which today’s young ones in the country have towards record-keeping. The re-introduction of the teaching of indigenous history would help to remedy some of the challenges brought about by its ill-advised removal from the curriculum.