A coalition of Christian leaders in Nigeria, under the banner of The National Prayer Altar (TNPA), has petitioned the Federal Government to immediately reverse its policy granting the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS) certificate equivalence with WAEC, NECO, and NBTE qualifications.
The group, representing 112 Christian elders from Nigeria and the diaspora, warned that the policy violates Nigeria’s constitutional principles of religious neutrality and threatens the integrity of the country’s secular, merit-based education system.
In a strongly worded petition signed by Prof. Kontein Trinya and Pastor Bosun Emmanuel, TNPA argued that NBAIS was originally established to certify religious instruction in Arabic and Islamic studies, and thus should not be equated with national examination bodies designed for general academic and professional advancement.
“This policy decision does not merely flirt with constitutional boundaries — it crosses them,” the petition stated. “It introduces a theological asymmetry into a national education system that, by law and design, is meant to be secular.”
The group criticized the policy’s lack of legislative backing, regulatory transparency, and national consultation, asserting that it elevates one religious framework while excluding others, such as Christian and Traditional African education systems. They warned that this could set a dangerous precedent of religious preference and lead to the fragmentation of Nigeria’s educational standards.
They further noted that NBAIS certifications, including the Senior Arabic and Islamic Secondary Certificate Examination (SAISSCE) and Tahfeez, have not undergone the necessary national curriculum standardization or independent moderation required by bodies like the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) or the National Council on Education (NCE).
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Calling for the immediate abolition of the policy, the group urged the Ministry of Education, NUC, JAMB, and TRCN to formally revoke the equivalence status and reaffirm that only certifications from WAEC, NECO, NABTEB, and NBTE-approved bodies qualify for general academic progression in Nigeria.
“This is not a call for reform — it is a call for total reversal,” the group emphasized. “Nigeria must maintain one national standard for all, or risk descending into a fragmented system that undermines equity, unity, and educational credibility.”
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