By Wendy Nweke
The Chairman House Committee on Education, Hon. Professor Julius Ihonvbere, says the Bill for an act to introduce Preventive Measures and Teachings of Anti-Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) into the Civic Education Curriculum of all Secondary Schools in Nigeria will help address cancer related issues in Nigeria.
Professor Ihonvbere was speaking during a two -day public hearing organized by the House Committee on Healthcare Services at the National Assembly, in Abuja.
Professor Julius Ihonvbere is a co- sponsor of the bill and the member representing the Owan Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.
The bill was the second legislative Bill inspired by an International Non-governmental Organization, OCI Foundation.
The Bill, had already scaled through First (March 31) and Second Reading (July 27) this year.
It seeks to introduce Preventive Measures and Teachings of Anti-Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) into the Civic Education Curriculum of all Secondary Schools in Nigeria (JSS 1 to SSS 1).
According to Professor Julius Ihonvbere, “This has already passed through a public hearing, am sure when it gets to the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council, NERDC, Breast, Cervical, Prostrate and other types of cancer will be included. The most important thing is that it’s included in the school curriculum”.
Addressing the gathering, the OCI Foundation’s National Assembly Liaison Officer, Barrister Vivian Obinwa explained that the Foundation was proposing innovative ideas towards sustainable ways of solving challenges in Nigeria.
According to Barrister Obinwa, ” OCI Foundation started with scholarships, skills acquisitions to Youths. But we are championing the idea of introducing the teachings of cancers into an already existing subject, Civic Education in Secondary schools. This will provide an opportunity for Youths in both public and private schools. It will be preventive”.
Also, an Abuja based Advocacy team member of the Foundation, Mrs Ebele Udechukwu, said deliberate efforts had been made to by members of the Foundation at various levels to sensitize Nigerians on the need for cancer preventive measures.
In a statement, the President of the Foundation, Professor Chris Ifediora expressed appreciation to the National Assembly and members of the Foundation for sustained efforts towards achieving the goals of the Organization.
Professor Ifediora thanked Dele Ahamisi (Esq), for his role in the Bill.
He explained that the SGBV Bill was the second legislation that has been successfully pushed through this stage by the OCI Foundation, an international (Australian-Nigerian) NGO that promotes Health, Education, and Social/Public Welfare among Nigerians.
According to Professor Ifediora, the First Bill, which also went through Public Reading on September 29th and 30th, 2022, seeks to include teachings against breast and cervical cancers into the curriculum of all senior secondary schools in Nigeria
