By SHINDONG BALA
The Kaduna State Government has announced plans to revive Christian pilgrimage to Jerusalem after almost a decade of suspension.
Governor Uba Sani made this known on Wednesday at the 48th Annual National Conference of the National Association of Christian Religious Educators of Nigeria (NACREN) in Kaduna.
The conference, with the theme, “Emerging Challenges and Pathways for National Development,” attracted Christian religious educators from across the country.
Represented by the Director-General of the Kaduna State Bureau of Interfaith, Mallam Tahir Umar Tahir, Governor Sani said his administration remained committed to strengthening moral and religious education as a foundation for building a responsible society.
He urged Christian educators to intensify efforts to instil sound moral and religious values in children and young people.
The governor also stressed the importance of teachers in shaping the future of the state, saying his administration had improved teachers’ salaries and was taking steps to recruit more teachers.
He further called on parents and guardians to encourage their children and wards to study Christian Religious Studies (CRS), noting the importance of the subject in character formation.
Education, National security
In a keynote message, the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, described quality education as a critical component of Nigeria’s national security.
He said education was a powerful weapon against ignorance, intolerance, extremism and violent radicalisation.
General Musa urged Christian educators to go beyond academic instruction by promoting values such as honesty, discipline, compassion, responsibility, respect for human dignity and peaceful coexistence.
He challenged NACREN to use its platform to develop practical and sustainable solutions to the challenges confronting Nigeria.
The Minister said national development could only be achieved through the collective efforts of government, educators, religious bodies and other stakeholders.
Professor McCain raises insecurity concerns
Also speaking, Professor Danny McCain of the University of Jos urged governments to urgently tackle insecurity in educational institutions.
McCain said creating a safe learning environment was essential to achieving meaningful growth and national development.
NACREN seeks urgent recruitment of CRS teachers
Earlier, the National President of NACREN, Associate Professor Reuben Maiture, appealed to the Kaduna State Government to urgently recruit and deploy qualified CRS teachers to primary and secondary schools across the State.
Maiture lamented the shortage of CRS teachers, particularly at the secondary school level, saying it had become increasingly difficult to find substantive teachers of the subject in many schools.
He said many CRS teachers had retired without replacement, leaving schools with inadequate manpower to teach the subject.
According to him, the shortage has placed an unfair burden on the few CRS teachers still in service.
Maiture said Nigeria was confronted by a range of security and social challenges, including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, communal conflicts, violent extremism, transnational organised crime, cyber threats and misinformation.
He stressed the need for a holistic approach involving government, educators, parents, religious institutions and other stakeholders to address the challenges.
“We appeal, most passionately, to the Kaduna State Government to urgently recruit and post qualified CRS teachers to primary and secondary schools across the state,” he said.
Editing by BASIRAT MEMUDU
