NOBLE laureate Professor Wole Soyinka has lashed at members of Boko Haram, saying they have limited knowledge of Islamic religion.
Speaking Monady in Port Harcourt at the opening of this year’s Rivers state education summit, organised by the state government Professor Soyinka said poor knowledge of the Koran was largely responsible for why Boko Haram should despise western education.
“Boko Haram are not educated enough about their religion to know that some of the greatest philosophers came from the religion. They have been taught one track line (Monorail) about the religion. They need to be re educated about the religion”, he said.
Soyinka who was Chairman of the opening session said government should take urgent steps to redress the decay in the nation’s university system, stressing that he was happy to be invited to the summit to be part of a move to rebuild the educational system.
Professor Emeritus, Ayo Banjo who gave the key note address called for steps to improve on the quality of education at the primary level, stressing that it was the foundation of the educational system.
He traced the high percentage failure recorded in the past at the West Africa School Certificate Examination to a weak foundation at the primary level, adding also that the shaky foundation was also behind poor quality graduates being shunned out by universities in the country.
Professor Banjo further called for a total overhaul of the educational system from the secondary to tertiary level to achieve the best for the nation.
Earlier in his welcome address, governor Chibuike Amaechi said the government was set to engage thirteen thousand teachers to provide the needed manpower to achieve quality education in the state.
He said the newly built modern schools would be managed by private hands for the state.
The governor who spoke extensively on some of the challenges militating against quality education in the state said his government had to institute a Quality Assurance Board to check the problems. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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Ignorance is a disease
ReplyDeleteShunned out? Nawa o?!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with Soyinka. Even the Prophet of Islam (PBUH) encouraged all to seek for knowledge 'be it in China' meaning however far the journey. Islam had produced the best of educationists, doctors, scientisits etc., so any group that discourages acquisition of knowledge is anti-Islamist. Boko Haram members are devoid of proper understanding of the religion they claim to stand for - they are in reality NOT Muslims, but terrorists, beasts in human skins.
ReplyDeleteBoko Haram violence is the true spirit of lslam. Check all over the world islam is in violence everywhere. Why is it so?
ReplyDeleteThe great Professor has hit it spot on! That is why the manner in which the Presidency is frowning at the amnesty program being suggested in some quarters for Boko Haram members who are ready to lay their arms really beats my imagination. Maybe the President and his people understand amnesty only from the perspective of material settlement; they seem not to have seen that such a program can actually be utilized to re-educate (as the Professor has suggested) rehabilitate, and re-integrate the BH followers, most of whom are undoubtedly governed by the 'monorail' understanding of their religion as passed on to them by their tutors who alone can read and translate the Arabic text. Food for thought: May GEJ can have a component built into the training where the Holy Qur'an is translated into languages the amnesty beneficiaries can read and understand for themselves. Rather than overhastily make open condemnation of suggestions from eminent Nigerians, GEJ should learn to think before he talks.
ReplyDelete