House Mulls Inclusion of Anti-corruption Courses in Primary, Secondary Education
Udora Orizu in Abuja
The House of Representatives has resolved to convene a meeting of stakeholders in the education management and regulation sector to consider reviewing the primary and secondary school curricula to integrate anti-corruption awareness courses and programmes.
The resolution was sequel to the adoption of a motion on the need to introduce anti-corruption classes and training into the primary and junior secondary schools curricula to aid to the fight against corruption, sponsored by House Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila; Hon. Shehu Kakale, Musa Bagos and Hon. Aisha Dukku.
Moving the motion, Dukku noted that corruption is a scourge with devastating consequences on every facet of the Nigerian state, society and sectors of the economy.
She said the House is aware of the various anti-corruption efforts by successive governments that have not put an end to corruption in the country.
She opined that unless drastic measures are taken with utmost urgency, corruption threatens to destroy the fabric of Nigerian society by continuously sabotaging our national sense of right and wrong beyond repair.
The lawmaker said: “We have also observed the increase of young people who are growing up in environments where casual subversions of rules and law through acts of private and public corruption have become the norm. Perceived that one reason the fight against corruption has not achieved the desired objectives in the country is the absence of a deliberate national strategy to engage citizens from the early stages of their lives to identify, challenge and defeat corrupt practices wherever they may exist or manifest.
“Confident that this narrative can be changed within a relatively short time, through sustained efforts by government, civil society, religious organisations, and citizens working together to reprogramme the way we think about the causes and consequences of corruption in our society.”
Adopting the motion, the House urged the Committees on Basic Education Services and Legislative Compliance to ensure compliance.
