THE RELEVANCE OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION TO PEACE AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

Abstract

This paper examined the role of religious education to peace and sustainable 
development in Nigeria. Every human society craves for sustainable peace, 
security and development and this is true also of Nigeria. The role of religious 
education in attaining sustainable peace and development in Nigeria education 
is a means through which the individuals are formed and reformed through 
qualitative training and retraining of the human capital, who are agents of 
development in the society. Religious education will certainly form a 
backbone to moral education. To enhance a moral society, there is the need for 
religious education in Nigeria. This paper looks at the role of religious 
education in achieving peace and security in Nigeria. It also examines the need 
for peace and security in Nigeria. The paper identifies factors affecting 
sustainable peace, security and development, and posits that education is a 
determinant factor for the development of any nation or society. Likewise, the 
paper highlights the role of religious education to peace, security and 
sustainable development in Nigeria. In terms of methodology, this research 
employed the qualitative research design. The study gathered data from both 
primary and secondary sources. The primary sources included oral interviews 
with resource persons and the secondary sources involved the use of books, 
journals, scholarly papers and the internet. The paper revealed that, the 
teaching of religious education will instil values and high morals on the 
citizenry to bring about expected sustainable development. Finally, the paper 
concluded that Nigerian can be mobilized and inspired through religious 
education as a driving force to peace and development in the country. As such, 
the Federal Government of Nigeria owes it a duty to re-introduce the teaching 
and learning of religious education as a compulsory subject in Nigerian 
schools for all students