A viral post on X, formerly Twitter, sparked discussions among netizens about a Junior Secondary School Three science textbook, which details the process, types, and reasons for abortion, as well as family planning, writes GRACE EDEMA
Page 135 of the Classic Basic Science and Technology for Junior Secondary School Three used by some schools in Nigeria, partly reads, “There are two types of surgical abortion. 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.”
An X (formerly Twitter) user Alex Onyia, who posted the book’s cover and page on abortion, raised the alarm over the content, which he described as harmful information for learners.
Onyia wrote, “This book is teaching Jss1 students in Nigerian schools how to do abortion with clear images. Parent wake up and save your children. NERDC approved this!
“Corruption is not just about stealing money, it destroys our coming generation!”
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.
In Nigeria, the approval of school textbooks is primarily overseen by NERDC. The NERDC is responsible for developing and reviewing curricula and ensuring that educational materials, including textbooks, align with the national curriculum and meet the required standards.
Also, NERDC has the statutory responsibility to: develop, review, and enrich curricula at all levels; undertake and promote book development and local authorship for quality assurance; and conduct educational research to inform public policy formulation and implementation.
The book further explains the reasons for abortion, the consequences of unsafe abortion, and others.
However, Onyia’s viral post sparked mixed reactions by X users.
Johnson @Carrotsuite E wrote, “Catch them young. Next is to open Planned Parenthood branches to start harvesting aborted 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 sexual 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.”
Credit: Punchng
