FG Orders Reintroduction of History in Schools

By Paul Obi

Following the criticisms that have trailed the suspension of the teaching of history in schools, the federal government on Thursday ordered the reintroduction of the subject in basic schools across the country.

Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, who called for the disarticulation of social studies in the current curriculum of basic schools and reintroduction of history as a subject, said this has become imperative given the critical nature of history to the nation’s socio-political development.

The Minister made the call in Abuja Thursday while addressing delegates at the 61st Meeting of the National Council on Education Ministerial Session.

He also urged the Council to consider making the study of Christian Religious Knowledge and Islamic Religious Knowledge compulsory for both Christians and Muslims to the end of Senior Secondary School.

Adamu said the reintroduction of history as a subject on its own in basic schools will give the Nigerian child a self identity of who they really are.

He added that Nigeria owes both the present and future generations the responsibility of removing all inhibitions against opportunities of acquiring morals and ethics as taught in the religious traditions.

“It is only the study of history, our own history, that can explain and give meaning to our very humanity and that is why we must study it and teach our little ones. It is also not enough that they merely know who they are; we must teach them about their God.

“Since it is said that if you want to destroy any nation, it’s either first the family is destroyed, then the education is destroyed and the third the social morals are destroyed and in Nigeria we owe both the present and future generations the responsibility to remove all inhibitions against making our children acquire morals and ethics”

At the Council Meeting, the Minister also launched the National Teacher Education Policy , NTEP, and the National Quality Assurance Policy, NPEQ

According to the Minister, the National quality Assurance Policy, NPEQ, is an assurance system for institutions below tertiary level and for expected standard of practice in Nigeria. On the other hand, the policy  identifies the pivotal role of qualify teachers in the provision of quality education at all levels.

“The objective is to produce highly skilled knowledgeable and creative teachers who are capable of producing globally competitiuve students,the policy seeks to ensure that teachers recruited,trained and re-trained based on explicit standards,” he said.

On the theme, ‘Education Council Meeting ; Teacher Quality: A Tool for Sustainable Human Capital Development’ , Adamu stated that it was informed by the need to draw the attention of policy makers, technocrats, professionals, and stakeholders in the education sector to the indispensability of the teacher in human capital development for the achivement of national goals.