From: LAYI OLANREWAJU, Ilorin
Christian parents in Kwara State has kicked against the state Government’s decision to merge Christian Religion Knowledge (CRK) with any other subject taught in public schools.
Speaking on behalf of the parents, on Tuesday, in Ilorin, Pastor Philip Hambolu, said that the parents vehemently rejected any attempt to merge CRK with Islamic Religion Knowledge (IRK).
Hambolu, who is chairman, Parents-Teacher Association (PTA) of Saint Anthony College, Junior Secondary School, Ilorin, declared that the move was a calculated attempt to Islamise Christian children.
He said the Concern Parents Forum (CPF) of the PTA was also against non Christian teachers to teach Christian Religion Knowledge.
“A teacher who will teach CRK must be a Christian teacher and the marking must be independent, so that the child does not find himself competing in an unequal platform.
“We have cases of many Government Schools whereby teachers who are not Christians are teaching Christian Religion Knowledge, this is not acceptable and should be corrected henceforth,” the PTA chairman added.
The pastor said the subjects CRK will be merged with are Islamic Religious Knowledge (IRS), Civic and Social Study to be called Security Study.
“Yes, the issue is that there has been an insinuation following the circular that was passed from SUBEB that some class of subjects be taught as single subject or be marked as a single subject.
“The reality in this is that this subject cannot be taught or be graded as a hundred percent single subject, it is not possible, one, you cannot have a child disadvantaged even before he takes the examination,” he said.
According to him, a child can pick up the Bible and read and make a pass in the exam, adding that a child will always replicate what he has been told by a teacher.
Hambolu, therefore, called for a level-playing field for every child to make progress academically.
He said both the students and parents of Christian schools in the state vehemently objected to the idea of merging CRK with any subject and taught by non Christian teachers.