Nweze Reuben Njoba
Department of History
School of Arts and Social Sciences
Ebonyi State College of Education Ikwo.
Abstract,
After the Nigerian Civil War in 1970, the Federal government took over schools
founded by religious groups because education was thought to be a huge government
venture and no longer a private enterprise. Prior to this time, Nigerian leaders
benefitted from the free education offered by missionaries, which became the bedrock
for Nigerian nationalism and independence. Most people argue that the sudden
takeover of the schools by the government brought about the collapse of education
that was hitherto reputable for high standards in learning and morality. Hence, the
call for return of mission schools by pressure groups became rife. Conversely, in the
wake of the return of mission schools some states in the federation and stakeholders
have expressed divergent views, citing denominational sentiments, tribal prejudices
and unhealthy rivalry among citizens as problems that could militate against national
integration and development. This article aims at examining the divergent views in
the light of the role of religion education (RE) in nation building and integration.
Key words: Religion education, Mission schools, Nigeria, nation-building, nation-integration.
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