Journal of Emerging Trends in Educational Research and Policy Studies: Home

Abstract:
Those who clamour for the introduction (or reintroduction?) of religious instructions to the (Nigerian) schools are of the view that such an educational policy will inevitably or even logically lead to moral regeneration and hence discipline of the Nigerian youths. This same group of people have also advocated the return of some schools to their original owners, namely, the various church denominations. This, it is believed, will promote discipline among pupils and students at the various levels of their educational development. My thesis in this paper has both negative as well as positive aspects. The negative aspect holds that the (mere) introduction of religious instructions to schools may not succeed in promoting the much desired discipline and good citizenship among the Nigerian youths. The positive aspect of the thesis of the paper is that, in order to achieve the aims and objectives of a policy such as the introduction of religious values to schools, it may be necessary to compliment that programme with moral instructions. It is argued that one more thing that is required for the success of the programme is, since it is not being planned that the Nigerian leaders, especially politicians would be compelled to go back to these schools where moral and religious values would be taught, an avenue must be established through which similar type of education would be imparted to this class of people as well. In that wise, we would have a class of people who would be prepared to show leadership by (good) examples, and not those who pay lip service to the eradication of social vices in the Nigerian Society.

Keywords: moral regeneration, humanism, fundamentalism, religious instructions, justification.

Download full paper