Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja, has said the recently signed National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Act 2023, and proposed bill on Council for Christian Education before the National Assembly are major steps towards enthroning broad religious dialogues and strengthening inclusive religious education in the country.

Director-General of IPCR, Dr Joseph Ochogwu, stated this in Enugu, yesterday, during a Policy Dialogue on inclusive religious education in Nigeria for stakeholders drawn from a network of policymakers and religious leaders in the country.

He explained that the institute convened the meeting with critical stakeholders within the context of the recently signed National Commission for Almajiri and Out-Of-School Children Act 2023, and the proposed bill of the National Assembly on National Christian Education.

Represented by the Director, Defence and Security Studies, IPCR, Dr Gerald Ifeanyi Okafor, he noted that the Almajiri Act, which provided that the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) “is a critical member of the Commission”, was a path towards sustainable peace and development.

“This interfaith provision is a major step towards broad religious dialogue in strengthening inclusive religious education in Nigeria,” he noted, hoping that in the future, national policies and programmes would be interfaith-sensitive to promote national cohesion.

According to Ochogwu, the enduring relationship between education, on one part, and peace and security, on the other, is well established in Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), 1948, which spells out that education shall be directed to the full development of human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and that education shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.

He said: “Following the passage of the National Commission on Almajiri and Out-of-School Act, 2023; and the Bill for the National Council on Christian Education before the National Assembly to respond to the root of threats in the nation, IPCR, in line with her mandate, seeks to provide an expert platform for relevant stakeholders to deliberate on strategies for guaranteeing inclusive religious education and teaching the culture of peace in the country.”

He frowned on a situation where some dishonest elite exploit the country’s plural society for their selfish and political gains.