Former President of the Catholic Bishops Convention of Nigeria, Archbishop Felix Alaba Job, has blamed successive governments for ignoring real calls to overview the nation’s training curriculum.
The clergy famous that the failure to reform the training system has created a era that’s unable to tell apart proper from unsuitable.
He raised the priority in an interview with journalists on Saturday on the thirteenth convocation ceremony of Veritas College, Abuja, the place he was awarded an Honorary Physician of Letters (Hon.D.LITT) by the administration of the establishment.
The clergy, who was the previous Archbishop Emeritus of Ibadan, careworn that eradicating topics like historical past from the curriculum undermines nationwide identification.
He stated that regardless of warnings to leaders for the reason that Eighties to do the best factor, authorities inaction has endured.
The spiritual chief stated: “In 1984, my message to the nation was that if our instructional system remained what it was, ultimately, our kids wouldn’t be capable of know the distinction between what is correct and what’s unsuitable. And it has come to move.
“The purpose is that the Yorubas have a proverb that in case your neighbour is consuming a frog, and you don’t warn him in the event you hold quiet as a result of he’s simply your neighbour, the noise from his throat is not going to mean you can sleep.
“Now we have spoken to the federal government. However sadly, governments didn’t take heed. And subsequently, it’s not simply the curriculum. It’s the spirit behind the curriculum that issues.
“While you take away, for example, historical past from training, what do you wish to inform us? That we should always overlook who we’re? There’s a want for the federal government to take motion the place it’s vital.
“For a few of us, we’re on our manner out. I name myself quarter two. I used to be a pupil trainer way back to 1959. After which I went on, even as much as college, and I got here to show. So let me inform you, the federal government has injured the essence of training and must amend it.”
Job, who grew to become a bishop 5 years after his priestly ordination on the younger age of 33, additionally dismissed allegations of corruption in opposition to spiritual leaders.
In keeping with him, neither these in authorities nor exterior of it are happy with the present state of affairs, including that the dissatisfaction stems from a shared concern for humanity.
He urged the federal government to deal with the non secular and ethical deficiencies plaguing Nigeria’s training system.
He added, “Now we have tried to take away God from our instructional system. And a few of us which have the braveness to start to say spiritual leaders are those who trigger this. It isn’t true spiritual leaders.
“We’re not speaking about those that solely use faith to generate income. However spiritual leaders, true spiritual leaders, can’t do with out ethics. We’re not speaking about those that search for their every day bread by calling themselves totally different names, giving themselves positions in life which they don’t have.”
The cleric, who appreciated the college for honouring him, additionally famous that extra must be executed to enhance the college system.
Talking, the Vice Chancellor of the college, Prof. Hyacinth Ichoku, stated the establishment has carried out excellently up to now yr, each on the nationwide and worldwide stage.
Among the many occasions gained, in keeping with the VC, have been the African Telecommunications Union Innovation Problem in Nairobi, gained by college students of the Software program Engineering Division, the Commonwealth Universities Debating Championship held in Rwanda, the Pan African Universities Debating Championship, and the AI Quiz, which was gained by Veritas College, amongst others.
Catholic Archbishop of the Abuja Diocese, Most Rev. Ignatius Kaigama, referred to as on the graduating college students to contribute positively to the event of the nation, stressing the necessity for them to be pacesetters of their communities, particularly on this period of ample data however an acute scarcity of knowledge.
