The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has expressed its opposition to a proposed bill that seeks to establish a National Council of Christian Education.
According to the CBCN, the bill violates Sections 10 and 42(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, and is unnecessary and impracticable due to doctrinal differences.
Rather than supporting a bill that goes against the secular nature of Nigeria, the CBCN has urged the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the original proponent of the bill in the National Assembly, to focus on legislation that addresses issues such as unprovoked attacks on Christians in the North.
In a statement issued by Archbishop Lucius Ugorji, the President of the CBCN, and Bishop Donatus Ogun, the Secretary, the bishops rejected the bill.
The proposed legislation aims to develop, regulate, and approve syllabuses and educational content for Christian education at all levels. It also intends to certify instructors of Christian religious education and accredit programs in Christian theological institutions.
The bishops criticized the bill for not making exceptions for seminaries and religious institutes owned by various Christian denominations across the country.
They argued that the bill encroaches upon the rights of these denominations to provide education based on their respective doctrines, citing Section 42(3) of the 1999 Constitution.
The section stipulates: “No religious community or denomination shall be prevented from providing religious instruction for pupils of that community or denomination in any place of education maintained wholly by that community or denomination.”
They also claimed that the bill “is incompatible with the secular character of the country as enshrined in Section 10 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
CBCN said: “In as much as government at federal or state level has not and cannot adopt any religion as its official religion, it must respect the juridical principles that govern relationship between State and Church.”
The bishops explained that the idea of pursuing a bill “to regulate religious studies in secular schools came up during an education summit organised in 2019 by the Association of Christian Schools in Nigeria, a body of mostly Pentecostal private school owners and some Protestant denominations.”
They observed that the bill was neither intended to regulate theological concerns nor have anything to do with theological institutions as originally intended and conceived.
The bishops disclosed that CAN decided to pursue it by asking lawmakers to sponsor the bill, alleging that some elements were added, at some points, which are not in the interest of the Church.
They said the bill “is unnecessary and impracticable because of our doctrinal differences. Our juridical autonomy in matters of education is being surrendered to the government.”
They also challenged CAN to undertake “a proper needs assessment to determine the needs of Christians in Nigeria that would require the support of the government. Asking the government to establish a Council for Christian Education simply because Muslims have one is counterproductive.”
