FG Backtracks On CRK, IRK Merger, ‘We Can’t Mix Oil With Water’

The Federal Government has overturned its merger of the Christian Religious Knowledge (CRK) and Islamic Religious Knowledge (IRK) in the basic education curriculum.

In a directive he gave the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu said the turnaround came after government realised that “water and oil were merged together and it is not working”

He said the reversal came on the heels of various complaints by Nigerians from different spheres, especially the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

“There is this controversy over the merger of CRK and IRK in the school curriculum. There were complaints by parents that children were overloaded with so many subjects and the recommendation then was to merge one or two subjects,” Adamu said in Abuja on Thursday.

“Unfortunately, water and oil were merged together and it is not working. So, to save ourselves the agony, the two subjects should be separated. We push that to the NERDC.”

Adamu, who was represented by Anthony Anwukah, Minister of State for Education, at a meeting with stakeholders in the education sector, said: “We recognise that the task of revamping the education sector is challenging, the ministry of education cannot do it alone. Our task is to coordinate national efforts to meet our national goals and objectives.

“It is our belief that with good planning, appropriate investment of resources, transparency, due process, effective collaboration and coordination of inputs and activities of government and that of all stakeholders, we will realise our vision of providing quality education to build and sustain adequate human capital for national development.”