The Niger State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, has accused the State Government of reneging on its agreement to recruit Christian Religious Knowledge, CRK, teachers in schools.
Reiterating the position of the association on the issue, the state CAN Chairman, Reverend Mathias Echioda, after the inaugural meeting of the Christian Teachers’ Forum in Minna, told newsmen that teaching of CRK has become a problem in the institutions of learning at both primary and secondary levels in Niger State.
The cleric said, “The teaching of CRK is becoming a problem in our institutions of learning especially from the primary to the secondary level, as I check through the lists of schools in Niger State, I discovered that most primary and secondary schools do not have Christian teachers teaching CRK and some of them that they have are grossly inadequate.”
According to him, now that schools are about to resume, the state government and other employers of labour should recruit CRK teachers in the state.
“We appeal to government and other employers of labour that the Christians should be allowed to teach their religion to the students in the institutions of learning. Christians should be allowed to teach the CRK and where we don’t have, let effort be made for the employment of these teachers. What is good for the goose is also good for the gander,” Rev Echioda stated.
Earlier, during the meeting with the teachers, he insisted that teaching remains the best profession, while urging appropriate authorities to accord more attention to the profession.
Maintaining, ” Teaching remains the best profession and the bedrock of all professions, whatever anyone is, whether you are in government or in the traditional cycle or a political or opinion leader or religious leader, you were taught by someone.
“This is also a call to the appropriate authorities to give more attention to the teaching profession so that the teachers will not look beggarly, let them be encouraged, a labourer deserves his wages and I pray God will give the heart of concern to some of our leaders to give extra attention to teachers.”
On the effect of COVID-19 on teachers, Echioda lamented that it hasn’t been easy for them, noting that they are the worst hit by the out break of the pandemic.
The CAN Chairman further enjoined all employers of teachers to make efforts and pay the teachers their dues when they resume back to work.
