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The House of Representatives has thrown out a bill seeking to make history a core learning subject in the nation’s primary and secondary schools.
The proposed legislation was rejected by the House of Representatives on Thursday, after members raised concerns about the implication of a language in it.
The bill, titled “A Bill for an Act to Make History a Core School Subject in Nigeria’s Primary and Secondary Schools and for other Related Matters,” was proposed by Hon. Ayodeji Oladimeji (APC, Oyo State).
Hon. Oladimeji said he crafted the bill to address widespread ignorance of Nigerian history – and even major historical events around the world – among Nigerians in primary and secondary schools.
But opposing Oladimeji’s proposal, APC lawmaker from Kwara State, Hon. Zakari Mohammed, the word ‘core’ in the heading of the bill was problematic, saying: “I know it’s important for a people to know their history, but the word ‘core’ in the title of the bill is somehow.
But despite commending the bill, other lawmakers joined Zakari in shooting it down, arguing that the parliament does not need to pass a bill strictly for the purpose of mandating history.
They said other key subjects such as English and Mathematics are being taught in schools without special legislative backing.
Hon. Oladimeji however argued that History needed a legislation because the subject used to be in Nigeria’s early education curriculum before it was removed some years ago.
According to him, enacting the adoption of history into law would make it difficult to be expunged again.
Speaker Yakubu Dogara, nonetheless, overruled Mr. Oladimeji’s prayers and urged him to go and rework the bill.
The bill came on the heels of relentless calls by academics for history to be restored into the curriculum for pupils.