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BEING
AN
ADDRESS
PRESENTED
AT
THE
11TH
GRADUATION
CEREMONY
OF
THE
ADVENTIST
SECONDARY
TECHINICAL
COLLEGE,
OWERRINTA,
ABIA
STATE
AUGUST
16,
2009
By
Pastor
Sampson
M.
Nwaomah,
Ph.D
Associate
Professor
of
New
Testament
and
Head
of
Department
of
Religious
Studies,
Babcock
University,
Ilishan-Remo,
Ogun
State,
Nigeria.
THE
CHAIRMAN,
BOARD
OF
MANAGEMENT
OFASTEC,
MEMBERS
OF
THE
BOARD
THE
PRINCIPAL
THE
VICE
PRINCIPALS
AND
OTHER
SENIOR
ADMINISTRATIVE
STAFF
PARENTS
OF
THE
GRADUANDS
IMVITED
GUESTS
DEAR
GRADUANDS
GENTLEMEN
AND
LADIES
OF
THE
PRESS,
ALL
OTHER
PROTOCOLS
RECOGNIZED
AND
EXTENDED
1.0.
INTRODUCTION
I
feel
honored
and
at
the
same
elated
by
the
invitation
extended
to
me
to
deliver
the
11th
Graduation
address
of
the
Adventist
Secondary
Technical
College
(ASTEC),
Owerrinta,
an
illustrious
institution
known
for
its
unique
and
enviable
history
of
wholistic
development.
In
the
invitation
letter
extended
to
me,
the
theme
of
this
graduation
was
boldly
written:
“Educating
for
Tomorrow.”
To
me
this
was
a
very
noble
theme
and
at
the
same
thing
challenging
at
an
era
when
the
value
of
education
is
gradually
depreciating
and
the
type
of
education
generally
offered
today,
at
all
levels
of
education------primary,
post-primary
and
tertiary---hardly
considers
the
whole
person
even
though
we
talk
much
about
development
of
the
head
the
hand
and
the
heart.
Therefore
in
consideration
of
the
theme
of
this
11th
graduation
ceremony,
I
have
settled
to
speak
on
the
topic:
“The
Role
of
Religious
and
Moral
Education
in
Post-Primary
School
Curriculum
towards
the
Quest
to
Educate
for
Tomorrow.”
1.1
Conceptual
Clarifications:
i)
Religious
and
Moral
Education:
the
process
or
medium
in
which
pupils
are
exposed
to
the
knowledge
of
both
good
and
evil
and
are
also
directed
to
accept
and
follow
all
that
is
good
and
reject
all
that
is
evil
for
the
good
of
human
society,
ii)
Curriculum:
List
of
courses
or
subjects
to
be
taught
in
schools
iii)
Education:
The
process
of
training
a
person
to
acquire
the
appropriate,
knowledge,
skills
and
character
that
equips
him/her
to
function
optimally
for
his
and
societal
benefit.
iv)
Tomorrow:
All
the
existence
of
the
future
available
to
man
here
on
earth
and
the
world
to
come.
2.0
Seventh-day
Adventist
Philosophy
of
Education
Education
in
its
broadest
sense
is
any
act
or
experience
that
has
a
formative
effect
on
the
mind,
character,
or
physical
ability
of
an
individual.
In
its
technical
sense
education
is
the
process
by
which
society
deliberately
transmits
its
accumulated
knowledge,
skills
and
values
from
one
generation
to
another
through
institutions.(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education
accessed
August
12,
2009).
Maduabum
(1992)
in
Georgewill
(2006)
defined
education
as a
process
by
which
an
individual
gains
knowledge
or
insight,
develops
right
type
of
attitudes,
skills
and
values.
For
Georgewill
education
is
simply
the
development
of
the
totality
of
man
and
the
natural
world,
the
first
world
of
man.
Her
definition
entails
that
through
education,
man
develops
mentally,
physically,
morally
and
spiritually
and
subsequently
gains
knowledge
and
skills
with
which
he
is
able
to
develop
the
natural
world
of
plants
and
animals,
of
soils,
air
and
water
which….
In
the
process
of
man
developing
the
natural
world,
he
fashioned
out
what
is
now
known
as
the
second
world
of
social
institutions
and
artifacts
which
he
has
built
for
him-self
using
his
tools,
engines,
science
and
his
dreams.
This
second
world
is
obedient
to
human
directives
and
purposes
and
its
building
and
developments
could
have
not
been
possible
without
education
(Georgewill
2006).
But
in
understanding
the
true
role
of
education,
it
is
significant
to
consider
the
philosophy
of
education
espoused
by
the
Seventh-day
Adventist
church,
the
proprietors
of
ASTEC.
The
Seventh-day
Adventist
philosophy
of
education
views
the
work
of
education
as
wholistic.
One
of
its
frontline
leaders
opines:
To
understand
what
is
comprehended
in
the
work
of
education,
we
need
to
consider
both
the
nature
of
man
and
the
purpose
of
God
in
creating
him.
We
need
consider
also
the
change
in
man’s
condition
through
the
coming
in
of
a
knowledge
of
evil,
and
God’s
plan
for
still
fulfilling
His
glorious
purpose
in
education
of
the
human
race
(White,
1923a:15,16).
She
argues
further
that
the
object
of
education
is
to
restore
in
man
the
image
of
his
maker.
To
bring
him
back
to
perfection
in
which
he
was
created,
to
promote
the
development
of
body,
mind,
and
soul,
that
the
divine
purpose
in
his
creation
might
be
realized
(ibid
emphasis
mine).
In
other
words
education
is
in
the
work
of
human
redemption,
and
if
properly
understood,
serves
as a
restoration
tool
as
its
ultimate
aim.
Succinctly
put:
Education
in
its
broadest
sense,
is a
means
of
restoring
human
beings
to
their
original
relationship
with
God.
Working
together,
homes,
schools
and
churches
cooperate
With
divine
agencies
in
preparing
learners
for
responsible
citizenship
in
this
world
and
in
the
world
to
come(
GC
Working
Policy,
2007-2008:
242
emphasis
mine).
These
statements
were
made
in
the
context
of a
fundamental
thesis
on
the
role
of
educational
institutions
with
a
religious
affiliation
by
one
of
the
pioneers
of
the
Seventh-day
Adventist
Church.
She
opines:
It
is
the
boast
of
the
present
age
that
never
before
did
men
possess
so
great
facilities
for
the
acquirement
of
knowledge,
or
manifest
so
general
an
interest
in
education.
Yet
despite
this
vaunted
progress,
there
exists
an
unparalleled
spirit
of
insubordination
and
recklessness
in
the
rising
generation;
mental
and
moral
degeneracy
are
well-nigh
universal.
Popular
education
does
not
remedy
the
evil.
The
lax
discipline
in
many
institutions
of
learning
has
nearly
destroyed
their
usefulness,
and
in
some
cases
rendered
them
a
curse
rather
than
a
blessing.
This
fact
has
been
seen
and
deplored,
and
earnest
efforts
have
been
made
to
remedy
the
defects
in
our
educational
system.
There
is
urgent
need
of
schools
in
which
the
youth
may
be
trained
to
habits
of
self-control,
application,
and
self-reliance,
of
respect
for
superiors
and
reverence
for
God.
With
such
training,
we
might
hope
to
see
the
young
prepared
to
honor
their
Creator
and
to
bless
their
fellow
men.
(White,
1923b:64
emphasis
mine.)
Thus
true
education
would
take
seriously
religious
and
moral
education
in
educating
the
youth
for
tomorrow.
3.0
THE
NIGERIAN
SITUATION
AND
THE
NEED
FOR
RELIGIOUS
AND
MORAL
EDUCATION
A
quick
look
at
the
Nigerian
society
today
reveals
the
maniac
of
immorality
in
various
ways
such
as
dishonesty,
greed,
injustice,
selfishness,
avarice,
sexual
promiscuity,
secret
cult
activities,
to
mention
but
a
few.
In
an
attempt
to
offer
explanation
for
this
unfortunate
situation,
Bello
in
Nwaomah
(Nwaomah,
1998:9)
states:
“the
main
causes
of
these
immoral
behavior
is
the
undue
reverence
the
society
places
on
material
wealth
and
loss
of
touch
with
our
roots.”
Similarly,
Eluwa
in
Nwaomah
(Nwaomah,
1998:10)
argues:
“the
lack
of
moral
and
ethical
foundation
remained
the
greatest
factor
responsible
for
the
misbehavior
of
people,
both
old
and
young.”
Arising
from
the
above
situation,
it
is
appropriate
to
suggest
that
that
one
of
the
societal
sectors
from
which
the
moral
re-armament
should
start
is
the
school.
This
is
because,
the
school
as
one
our
social
institutions,
helps
in
grooming
of
the
future
leaders
of
the
society.
The
Nation’s
educational
objectives
agree
with
this
as
well.
It
states:
In
consequence,
the
quality
of
instruction
at
all
levels
has
to
be
oriented
towards
inculcating
the
following
values:
moral
and
spiritual
values
in
interpersonal
and
human
relations,
the
inculcating
of
the
right
type
of
values
and
attitudes
for
the
survival
of
the
individual
and
the
Nigerian
society(National
Policy
on
Education
(1977
revised
1981
cited
in
Nwaomah,
1998:12).
This
worthy
objective,
no
doubt
reflects
in
the
introduction
of
Religious
and
Moral
Education,
otherwise
called
Christian
Religious
Knowledge
or
Christian
Religious
Studies
in
the
post-secondary
school
curriculum.
The
first
official
pronouncement
on
the
importance
of
Religious
and
Moral
Education
in
the
provision
of a
sound
education
seem
to
have
been
made
in
1922.
According
to
Igwe
cited
in
Nwaomah
(1998:13),
the
Phelps-Stokes
first
report
on
education
in
West,
South,
and
Equatorial
Africa
recommended
among
other
things
that:
“in
all
schools
religious
instructions
was
to
be
accorded
a
pride
of
place
and
regarded
as
fundamental
to
the
development
of
sound
education.”
4.0
OBJECTIVES
OF
RELIGIOIUS
AND
MORAL
EDUCATION
According
to
Purpel
and
Ryan
(Nwaomah,
1998:
13-14)
there
are
at
least
four
major
objectives
or
roles
of
Religious
and
Moral
Education
in
school’s
curriculum:
i)
To
develop
moral
responsibility
and
sound
ethical
and
moral
behavior
ii)
To
develop
the
student’s
capacity
to
discipline
himself
to
work,
study
and
play
constructively
iii)
To
develop
a
moral
and
ethical
sense
of
values,
goal
and
process
of
free
society
and
iv)
To
develop
standards
of
personal
character
and
ideas,
i.e.
to
develop
morally
autonomous
individuals
who
can
make
up
their
minds
on
matters
of
moral
principles
rather
than
being
mere
consumers
of
moral
dicta
In
his
part,
Wilson
cited
in
Nwaomah
(1998:
14-15)
adds:
to
wean
them
(students)
away
from
false
methodologies
and
standards
like
reliance
on
the
peer
group,
on
authority
or
anti-authorities
of
also
ego—
ideas,
e.t.c,
in
an
age
of
moral
vacuum
or
anti-authoritarian
trend,
anxiety,
neurosis,
alienation,
drift
and
a
sense
of
being
lost.
Religion
therefore
provides
something
to
hang
on
to.
Consequently,
one
of
the
major
roles
of
Religious
and
Moral
Education
in
the
Nigerian
secondary
school
curriculum
is
that
of
the
moral
development
of
the
students.
And
the
only
subject
that
could
satisfy
this
is
Christian
Religious
Education.
But
the
position
it
is
given
in
the
post-primary
curriculum
leaves
much
to
be
desired.
It
is
classified
as
an
optional
subject
thus
leaving
the
student
depending
on
his
biases
or
future
career
aspirations
and/or
prospects
to
choose
or
neglect
its
offering.
In
most
cases,
only
very
few
of
the
Senior
Secondary
School
students
choose
to
offer
it.
Thus
the
majority
of
the
students
are
left
without
Religious
and
Moral
Education
during
their
last
but
critical
three
years
in
post-primary.
It
is
also
instructive
to
mention
that
the
three
years
of
the
senior
post-primary
education
fall
within
the
adolescent
period,
an
age
associated
with
“experimentation,
exploration,
challenge
of
the
status
quo,
assertiveness,
freedom/independence
desire,
pleasure
possessed
and
rebellion.”
(Ikonne,
2009).
The
adolescent
period
being
an
age
of
transition
to
young
adulthood,
the
increasing
immoral
behavior
among
this
group
coupled
with
moral
weakness
rampant
in
several
homes
and
of
this
critical
age
thus
requires
adequate
teaching
and
guide
on
moral
values.
It
is
therefore
my
opinion
that
making
Religious
and
Moral
Education
optional
at
the
senior
secondary
level
implies
making
morality
optional
as
well.
On
the
other
hand,
if
Religious
and
Moral
Education
is
to
be
accorded
a
pride
of
place
and
regarded
as
fundamental
to
the
development
of
sound
education
in
conformity
to
the
recommendation
of
Phelp-Stokes
report
on
education
in
1922,
then
there
seems
to
be
no
alternative
to
listing
it
as a
core
and
compulsory
subject
in
the
same
way
as
English
Language
and
Mathematics
are
listed
in
the
senior
secondary
school
curriculum.
5.0
CONCLUSION
There
is
no
doubt
that
our
society
today
needs
the
type
of
education
that
prepares
the
learners
not
only
for
excellence
in
their
intellectual
development
and
demonstration
of
skills.
It
is
very
needful
that
learners
are
morally
equipped
to
offer
useful
and
purposeful
services
to
themselves,
the
nation
and
of
course
live
in
consciences
of
the
greater
and
ultimate
accountability
that
would
be
required
of
God.
Thus,
in
developing
the
intellects
and
the
horning
of
the
skills
of
learners,
religious
and
moral
education
becomes
and
imperative
and
must
been
seen
so
in
our
educational
curricula,
especially
at
the
post-primary
school
level.
As I
conclude,
I
want
to
once
again
congratulate
the
graduates
of
today
but
I
challenge
you
that
the
training
you
have
received
in
these
six
years
should
reflect
in
your
future
academic
pursuit
and
your
entire
life-span.
Bravo.
REFERENCES
“Education”
in
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education
accessed
August
12,
2009
Georgewill,
Justina
Wada
“Biology
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The
Science
for
Knowledge
of
Life
Intricacies
and
improvement
of
Educational
system.”
Accessed
from
http://www.rsust.edu.ng/BIOLOGY%20EDUCATION.htm,
August
12,
2009.
General
Conference
of
Seventh-day
Adventist
Church
Working
Policy.
(2007-2008).
Washington,
D.
C.:
Review
and
Herald
Publishing
Association
Ikonne,
Chiemela
N.
The
Role
of
Faculty
and
Staff
in
Adventist
High
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paper
presented
at
the
Babcock
University
50th
Anniversary
Integration
of
Faith
and
Learning
Worskhop,
August
11,
2009.
Nwaomah,
Sampson
M.
“The
Role
of
Religious
and
Moral
Education
in
Post-Primary
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Ellen
G.
(1923a).
Education,
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Pacific
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__________
(1923b).
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