DECLINE OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES IN AN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND TECH AGE: EXPERIENCES AND WAY FORWARD

Abstract

In this study, an attempt has been made to vividly unveil the state of religious studies in Nigeria and the impact of artificial intelligence and technology on the discipline. The objective of the paper is to evaluate the relevance of the discipline. The research also investigates the challenges facing the field and proposes solutions aimed at cushioning its further decline. It is evident that the aspiration of studying religion in tertiary institutions has undermined by the current wave of technological advancement. In the past few decades, greater relevance and preference have been ascribed to Western driven disciplines and technology related skills. The qualitative analysis utilizes both primary and secondary data. This paper observes that enrollment in Religious Studies in Nigeria is declining because of the rise of technology, inferiority complex, secularism, proliferation of private universities and institutions, lack of interest by students, difficulty of some of the language components of the courses, economic instability and bad governance in Nigeria. Notwithstanding that religion has continued to grow, academic study of religion has continued to decline. The research recommends that Religious Studies in Nigeria should be repositioned through a total educational overhaul that incorporates computer practical knowledge and relevant A.I certifications into students’ academic activities. It is important that the teaching of these skills be attached reasonably to the various course descriptions and contents of the various institutions. It is also necessary for the lecturers to become acquainted with relevant technological skills to ensure more effective delivery of the courses.