The Grand Mufti and Alfa Agba of Ibadanland, Dr Abdul-Baari Adetunji has called on the government to recruit more teachers of Arabic and Islamic Studies in both public primary and secondary schools across the country.
Adetunji made this call while speaking at the 57th anniversary, graduation, turbaning and award presentation organised by Bari College of Arabic and Islamic Studies, Ibadan on Sunday.
The event was attended by Chairman of Oluyole local government area, Engineer Akeem Olatunji, Chief Imam of Igannaland, Sheikh Hazmat Mobolaji Surakat, Chief Imam of Ikirunland, Sheik Yunus Ibrahim Balogun, Professor Olalekan Sanni, Sheik Muhydeen Onihantu and Sheik Abdulfattah Adepoju.
Others are Turaki Adinni of Oyo State, Alhaji Abduljelil Adanla, Alhaji Abdulrahman Afolabi, Sheik Zakariyah Tijani and the Director of the college, Dr Izzudeen Adetunji.
The Proprietor while addressing journalists at the event advised government to employ more teachers of Arabic and Islamic Studies in both public primary and secondary schools in the country.
He said, “We established this college in 1968 at Popoyemoja. We started from there, we moved to Kobomoje and we later moved to this place. Many prominent personalities have graduated from here. What we want to do is to build modern classrooms. We have been training people who are vast in both Islamic and Arabic Studies since then.
“I taught in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions. Sometimes at a time, I taught fifteen classes. As vive principal, I even taught Islamic Studies in a school. I want to urge our government to employ more Arabic and Islamic Studies teachers. They are on ground to be employed. The current government in Oyo State has done something, he has recruited some Arabic and Islamic Studies teachers, but more should be employed.
“I belief they will still employ more, we have enough personnel. They are two different subjects, Arabic Studies and Islamic Studies”.
Olatunji while speaking, called for re-introduction of Islamic Religion Studies and Christian Religion Studies in both primary and secondary schools in the country.
He said, “Well, Islam has nothing to do with banditry, terrorism and other criminal activities. Those that are engaging in criminal activities of that nature are not followers of the principles of Islam and explained by Prophet Muhammad (SAW). They are not even Muslims, majority of them does not even practice Islam. We should try as much as possible to entourage public schools to have training sessions to teach religious studies.
“So, like we used to have in the past, we used to have Islamic Religion Studies and Christian Religion Studies in our schools in the past, but most of the schools do not have them nowadays. They are almost in extinction. They are no more there now. Those are the areas we have raise God fearing leaders.
“So, we need to re-introduce Islamic Religion Studies and Christian Religion Studies as from primary school level to secondary school level. Most schools don’t have IRK and CRK now. What we need is to re-introduce it in our primary and secondary schools”.
Director of the college, Dr Izzudeen Adetunji in his remarks called on governments at all levels to recruit more teachers to teach religious studies.
He said “Government needs to pay more attention to the teaching of religious studies. The government needs to recruit more teachers to teach religious studies. We need more of them for our society to be sanitised”.