Catholic Bishops Reject Bill on Council for Christian Education

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

Catholic Bishops in Nigeria have expressed opposition to the Bill seeking to establish the National Council Christian Education current before the National Assembly.

The bill is being sponsored by Hon. Shawulu Kwewum, and five other lawmakers at the House of Representatives.

In statement signed by the President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), Most Rev. Lucius Ugorji,, the bishops described the proposed legislation as unnecessary.

While the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) had expressed support for the Bill saying it would help formalise Christian Education as a course of study in our educational institutions, the Catholic bishops said that it will impede on the preservation of doctrinal differences among the various Christian denominations.

The bishops said: ” The Bill is unnecessary and impracticable because of our doctrinal differences. Furthermore, our juridirical autonomy in terms of education is being surrendered to government.

“CAN should undertake a needs assessment if the needs of Christians in Nigeria that will require the support of government.  

“Asking government to establish National Council for Christian Education simply because Muslims have one is counter productive. It is imperative to revisit and properly examine the CAN’s original purpose  as opposed to what was expressed in the Bill presented to the National Assembly.

The bishop sad that if CAN. wants to tackle some of the challenges facing Christians,  the body should initiate a bill to address the incessant unprovoked attacks on Christians in the north, denial of access to lands to build churches and  religious institutions and discriminating against Christians in admission to courses in higher institutions in the northern part of the country.

The bishops also said should CAN still feels to need to establish the Council for Christian Education, it should be ready to address the problem of doctrinal differences.