The NERDC said the claim being peddled on social media platforms and a national daily are speculative, false and unfounded, specifically as regards the Religion and National Values Curriculum.
The Management of NERDC disclosed in a statement obtained by our correspondent that Civic Education, Social Studies, Christian Religious Knowledge, Islamic Studies and Security Education are covered under the Religion and National Values Curriculum as distinct and separately taught subjects.
It said under the curriculum, no child is to be coerced or compelled to learn or be taught in school any religious studies subject unless that which is restrictively related to the belief system professed by the child and his or her parents.
It further noted that Christian Religious Knowledge, otherwise known as CRK, is still taught in schools as a separate distinct subject with the accompanying Teachers’ Guide, just as Civic Education is a distinct subject on its own which teaches the rudiments of good citizenship.
The NERDC also said there was no subject in the Nigerian School Curriculum called Islamic Arabic Studies as being speculated.
It said French has been made a compulsory subject from Primary Four, as dictated by the National Policy on Education.
The Executive Secretary of NERDC, Professor ISMAIL JUNAIDU said the Basic Education Curriculum, which includes the Christian Religious Knowledge and Islamic Studies Curricula, was approved in 2013 by the National Council on Education.
