By Akinwale Kasali
Social Media Platforms have been on fire since netizens got the wind of a Junior Secondary School Three Science textbook, which details the process, types, and reasons for aboxxion, as well as family planning.
The said Science Textbook is the Classic Basic Science and Technology for Junior Secondary School Three used by some schools in Nigeria.
The book published by Thursmay Publishers, is authored by M. Abdussalam, F.A Ibekwe, D.E Akintelure and B.B Akintelure and has the approval stamp of the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council on the cover page.
It partly reads, “There are two types of surgical aboxxion. Dilation and curettage (D & C): The cervix is dilated (opened and expanded) and a special instrument is used to scrape or scoop some linings and other materials in the uterus. D&C, also called vacuum aspiration, is used when the pregnancy is under 15 weeks.
“Dilation Evacuation (D & E): This involves dilating the cervix and using narrow forceps to evacuate the embryo that has formed bones. It is more difficult and requires more techniques than a simple D & C. It is used for 15-24 weeks old pregnancy.”
This has sparked outrage and debate among Principals, Parents and Netizens, condemning the Education Ministry for approving such Books for Students within the age range of 13-16 Years.
The post by an X User, Alex Onyia, (formerly Twitter) described the content as inappropriate for learners, raising concerns among parents and educators.
Onyia’s claims that the book “teaches how to perform abo××ions” caused a stir online, with some users condemning it as harmful and promoting se×ual recklessness.
Johnson @Carrotsuite E wrote, “Catch them young. Next is to open Planned Parenthood branches to start harvesting abo×ted babies. Even the reasons written in the book sound absolutely like indoctrination and an inducement to think positively about it from a young age, already promoting a life of se*ual carelessness from a tender age.
“Little surprise that so many don’t see anything wrong with this because they are already indoctrinated through books and movies. If we don’t fight this, we will lose that generation.”
Ogwu Ikechukwu, however, disagreed with Johnson.
“Should teenage girls in JSS3 not be taught about teenage pregnancy and its implications? Should they also not be taught about the dangers of ab**tion? That is the context of the topic. As stated above, the book is also clearly for JSS3 students and not JSS1.”
Tosin Brown added, “An average JSS 3 student is 13 to 16 years old, and they are teenagers. There is nothing wrong with this information for a teenager, and I see nothing wrong with this book.
“Unless we want to lie to ourselves, we have to teach them, or else the world will do so in a negative way. Most of these kids have access to the internet, watch explicit content, and are even more exposed than we parents think. It’s better to teach them to understand the disadvantages.”
Benjamin Chukwudum, in support of Brown’s comment, added, “With all due respect, ma’am, they don’t understand the challenges we face in the hospital. Such education is very appropriate for that age group. In three years, these young people will be fully integrated into society, and this information will help them navigate.
However, others supported its inclusion, arguing that students should be educated about the dangers of abo**ion and teenage pregnancy.
The All Nigeria Conference of Principals of Public Schools, ANCOPPS, and the Parents Teachers Association, PTA, condemned the textbook for containing abo**ion details, insisting it was not part of the approved curriculum.
Musa Ibrahim, ANCOPPS President, affirmed that they had begun investigations and directed principals to seize any copies of the book found in schools.
Ibrahim said, “We have set machinery in motion to ensure that any such books brought into schools will be seized immediately. We have liaised with the Ministry of Education to obtain copies for analysis, and we intend to use this as a point of advocacy with the ministry. We find the contents highly offensive, and school principals have already been instructed to take action.
“We’ve also engaged with PTAs at both the national and state levels, urging them to prevent the use of such books. A similar case occurred with an Integrated Science textbook in Kano, which we are currently tracking down to remove from circulation.
“I have also shared this information with all relevant groups, instructing them to be vigilant. Principals are expected to check books thoroughly and remain on the lookout for any similar material.”
He added, “The information in the book is not part of our curriculum. We teach topics like reproduction and a bit of sexuality in JS three and SS one, but the aim is to ensure that students understand they should not endorse such behaviour. These topics are not meant for JSS 1 students, as they are not included in the curriculum
“They labeled it as ‘s*x education’ or ‘se*uality education,’ but we made it clear that we do not want it, and they should remove it. In the SS classes, reproduction is taught solely for examination purposes, as the students are semi-adults. ANCOPPS does not support this material, and we are taking steps to ensure it is confiscated.”
While some parents and educators believe that teenagers should be taught about reproductive health, others argue that the content is inappropriate for such a young audience.
The National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools, NAPPS, also criticised the explicit content, asserting that it was not part of the national curriculum.
National chairman, PTA, Haruna Danjuma, stated, “This is completely unacceptable. Our children can’t be taught how to have an abortion. We will take this to the National Council and the Minister of Education. How did this book get into schools? We are going to fight it.”
National President, Association for Formidable Educational Development, Orji Emmanuel, described the book as “damaging information.”
“It is indeed sad. I have called for action on many occasions when it comes to the education of the Nigerian child; we cannot afford to be too busy with other issues and neglect our collective future,” Emmanuel said.
The National President, National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools, Yomi Otubela, also confirmed that the content was neither in the national curriculum nor the Lagos State Scheme of Work. He told our correspondent that the book was published by Thursmay Publishing.
“Looking through the national curriculum and the Lagos State scheme of work, I couldn’t find any specific topics that taught abortion or pregnancy prevention. However, some topics cover adolescent reproductive systems and how the ovaries work, among others.
“As for why the author included additional reproductive information beyond the curriculum, I cannot say. The curriculum or Lagos State’s guidelines do not include this. Also, I don’t think Lagos State recommended that particular edition of the book.”
The Federal Ministry of Education has denied approving the textbook, with officials stating that the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council, NERDC, had not authorised it.
Education and health professionals have called for a review of the book, raising concerns about its impact on students’ psychological and moral development.
