Catholic Bishops Reject Christian Education Regulation Bill

The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has faulted a bill seeking to establish the National Council of Christian Education, saying the proposal violates sections 10 and 42(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.

The bishops in a statement by the president of CBCN, Archbishop Lucius Ugorji and secretary, Bishop Donatus Ogun argued that rather than promoting a bill that violated the secular character of Nigeria, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), which originally pushed for the bill at the National Assembly should promote legislations that decisively address unprovoked attacks on Christians in the North, among others.

The bill, which seeks to develop, regulate and approve syllabuses/contents at all levels of Christian education, was sponsored by Hon. Rimamde Kwewum, Hon. Beni Lar, Hon. Yusuf Ayo Tajudeen, Hon. John Dyegh, Hon. Solomon Bob and Hon. Benjamin Mzondu.

Among others, the bill was also designed to certify Christian religion education instructors at basic and secondary levels; approve the content of all Christian religion education in all schools and accredit programmes of Christian theological institutions.

In the statement the bishops lamented that the bill made no exemption for seminaries and other religious institutes owned by the various Christian denominations across the federation.

To this end, the bishops claimed that the bill infringed on the rights of these various Christian denominations to provide instructions and formation according to their respective doctrines, citing Section 42 (3) of the 1999 Constitution.

The section stipulates: “No religious community or denomination shall be prevented from providing religious instruction for pupils of that community or denomination in any place of education maintained wholly by that community or denomination.”

They also claimed that the bill “is incompatible with the secular character of the Nigerian State as enshrined in Section 10 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.