ByHabeebat Ajayi
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has called for stronger anti-corruption education in Nigerian schools to help children develop integrity and reject corrupt practices from an early age.
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The commission said it was working with the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) to review the national values curriculum and strengthen the teaching of anti-corruption principles in primary and secondary schools.
The Head of Youth and Children Engagement at the ICPC, Godswill Basheer, disclosed this on Wednesday during an interaction with students on the Trust TV Breakfast Show to mark World Literacy Day.
The programme was organised by Teen Trust in collaboration with the ICPC, National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCC) and other partners.
Basheer said the commission had previously worked with NERDC to develop a national values curriculum, which led to anti-corruption topics being included in selected subjects.
He, however, said the curriculum needed to be reviewed to address emerging challenges, particularly the ethical use of technology and activities in the digital space.
“The times have changed, so there are other issues that we want to capture,” he said.
He also called for relevant civic-related subjects to be made compulsory and for practical lessons on integrity and citizenship to be included in their teaching.Basheer said students should not only memorise anti-corruption concepts to pass examinations but should understand and practise the values in their daily lives.
He said the fight against corruption should go beyond arresting and prosecuting offenders, stressing that prevention and public engagement with young people were important to the ICPC’s mandate.According to him, the commission had established Students Anti-Corruption Clubs in primary and secondary schools, while tertiary institutions have Anti-Corruption Vanguards.
He urged students to follow the ICPC’s three Rs: “Reject corruption, resist corruption and report corruption.”
Basheer also warned students against cyber fraud, spreading false information and other forms of online criminality, urging them to use technology responsibly.
He said young people must be prepared to take up leadership positions in the future and develop the values needed to build a more accountable society.
“Integrity is simply doing the right thing when nobody is watching,” he said.
Basheer urged students to report corrupt practices in their schools to the relevant authorities and, where no action was taken, approach the ICPC for intervention.
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