By Tina George, Minna
The Niger state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, has called on the state government to honour its agreement and employ teachers of Christian Religious Knowledge, CRK in its schools.
Speaking during the Christian Teachers Forum in Minna, the state chairman, Rev. Mathias Echioda pointed out that the association in the state will not relent on its call for the state government to leave up to its promise to recruit CRK teachers.
Observing that the state government was reneging on its agreement, Echioda maintained that teaching CRK in Niger schools remained paramount to Christian faithful, and a matter that would not be compromised in any way.
“Teaching of CRK is becoming a problem in our institutions of learning, especially from primary to the secondary school levels. As I check through the lists of schools in Niger state, I discover that most primary and secondary schools do not have teachers teaching CRK and some of them that have, are grossly inadequate,” the CAN chairman said.
He stated that as schools prepare to resume, the state government and other employers of labour should begin plans to recruit CRK teachers, stressing that the recruitment is of utmost importance for Christians in the state.
“We appeal to government and other employers of labour that the Christians should be allowed to teach their religion to students in the institutions of learning. Christians should be allowed to teach the CRK and where we don’t have, let efforts be made for the employment of these teachers. What is good for the goose is also good for the gander,” Echioda further said.
Speaking to the teachers during the Forum, the CAN Chairman urged them not to despair about their job, saying that teaching remained the best profession on earth.
He called on government and education stakeholders to give more priority and attention to the teaching profession.
“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 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,” he stressed.
