Arabic teachers seek compulsory study in education curriculum

To groom the younger citizens on religious ethics alongside western education, the Nigeria Association of Teachers of Arabic and Islamic Studies, (NATAIS) has called for the inclusion of Islamic Studies and Christian Religious Studies as compulsory subject in the Senior Secondary education curriculum.

The President of the Association, Prof. Murtada Aremu, at the 33rd convention in Ibadan recently, said urgent corrections should be made in the teaching and learning of religion studies at the Senior Secondary Education curriculum.

“In order not to undermine religion in our National life, this two subjects should be listed along with English, General Mathematics, Civic Education, Trade/Entrepreneurship Studies,” he said.

Aremu insisted that Arabic language should not be made to alternate with French language rather it should be made independent.

“The West African Examination Council (WAEC) admitted that the examination of candidates in Arabic and Islamic Studies is as old as the organisation itself, it should therefore be made compulsory and important hitherto,” he said.

He expressed concern on how the new curriculum by the Nigeria Education Research and Development Council (NERDC) relegates Islamic and Christian Religious Studies.

“Making the subject optional at the Senior Secondary School level will continue to deprive young Nigerians of their rights to receive full and mandatory religious education from Primary to Secondary school,” he said.

He said that the association was planning to organise a three-day refresher programme yearly for teacher of Arabic and Islamic studies in Primary and Secondary school’s.

A Professor of Arabic, University of Ilorin, Razak Abubakre, said that Nigeria successive governments see improving educational access and quality as essential to national economic and political development.

“Over the years, significant achievements were made in promoting literacy rate among the populace” he said.

He, however, said that NATAIS 40th anniversary was an intellectual endeavours towards unlocking the scholarly, social-religious and political past‎ of the great men that has left their marks in the sand of time.

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Prof. Idowu Olayinka, lauded the association for growing into a formidable body of scholars.

Olayinka who said that religion was critical in the attainment of national unity, said that the University was set to collaborate with the Oyo State government in the training of senior secondary school students especially in the five compulsory subjects.