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.
