* Says legislation inconsistent with provisions of Nigerian constitution Church of Nigeria has rejected the proposed National Council of Christian Education Bill, calling on its sponsors to back down. The church said it reviewed the bill with strong and unreserved opposition to its content, which seeks to regulate and monitor implementation and development…Church of Nigeria has rejected the proposed National Council of Christian Education Bill, calling on its sponsors to back down.
In a statement, signed by Primate Henry Ndukuba, the church said: “By its title, the bill purports to introduce mandatory certification of contents of Christian religious education, including Christian education syllabuses and curricula. It also seeks to approve and monitor how Christian religious education is taught in all schools and accredit the programmes of Christian theological institutions and seminaries, and certify Christian religion education instructors.
Rejecting the bill for being inconsistent with provisions of the Nigerian constitution by seeking to interfere with entrenched rights of freedom of religion, the church said: “The establishment of curricula, the duration and content of training courses, in respect of Christian education at any level, is recognised as being entirely within the prerogative of religious freedom guaranteed by the constitution.