'Good Christian' Jonathan Approved Controversial School Curriculum - Minister of Education

 

The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, on Thursday said the controversial basic curriculum amendment that raised dust in recent weeks because of its religious contents, was approved by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

 

Mr. Adamu, who said the furore generated was not necessary, said the former leader was “a good Christian and cannot participate in Islamizing Nigeria”.

 

Controversy recently erupted over the bundling of two key subjects, Islamic Religious Knowledge, IRK, and Christian Religious Knowledge, CRK, under one subject: Religion and National Values.

 

The minister made the statement at the ministerial session of the National Council on Education meeting in Kano on Thursday.

 

He said the curriculum was introduced in 2012 and was implemented in 2014.

“It is very absurd that anybody would think these officials wanted to Islamize Nigeria,” the minister said.

 

He said the minister in charge of basic education during the Jonathan administration was Nyesom Wike, now governor of Rivers State, while the chairman of the board of National Education Research and Development Council that approved the curriculum was Godswill Obioma, both Christians.

 

Following the controversy, the federal government ordered the policy be reversed.

 

-NAN