FG raises alarm over cultism in primary, secondary schools

Posted by admin Latest Politics Tuesday, May 8th, 2012

By Favour Nnabugwu
ABUJA—Federal Government has expressed deep concern over the spread of cult activities in primary and secondary schools across the nation.

Consequently, government has indicated its interest to review existing laws in the education sector in order to clip the wings of cultists in learning institu-tions.

President Goodluck Jonathan raised the alarm at the 3rd national conference on Strategies for Eradica-ting Cultism in Nigerian Educational Institutions in Abuja, yesterday.

He said: “Over the years, the seed of cultism has grown into a very big tree with many branches that pose a big threat to learning, lives and property in our educational institutions. This ugly development is unacceptable not only to government but also all lovers of education.

”It is painful to realise that cultism and its twin monster, examination malpractices, have dangerously infected the psyche of some of our expected leaders of tomorrow.

“Gender, age and level of education are no longer in-hibitions to membership of school cults or engagement in examination malprac-tice.”

The President, who was represented by Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, lamented that school campuses had also been turned into breeding grounds for other forms of immoral behaviour, such as sexual harassment, terrorism and the likes.

He said: “This administra-tion is prepared to work with National Assembly to review existing legislation relating to cultism and examination malpractices in order to further discourage the resort to impunity in our educational institutions.”

Corroborating President Jonathan, Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqquyat Rufa’i, said gone were the days when cultism was an exclusive right of male students, adding that female students were fast taking after the male.

-Vanguard

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