The National Universities Commission (NUC) has begun the development of Core Curriculum and Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS) for 12 new programmes that were either outstanding or omitted during the earlier review of the curriculum in the Nigerian University System (NUS).
The programmes will be incorporated into the CCMAS for the various disciplines to which they belong in Nigerian universities upon the conclusion of the exercise.
The 12 new programmes include: Artificial Intelligence, Classical Christian Education, Community Health Science, Cooperative Economics and Management Studies, Doctor of Medical Laboratory Science, and Geomatics Engineering.
Others are: Intelligence and Security Studies, Parasitology and Entomology, Sports Management, Telecommunication Science, Water Sanitation and Hygiene, and Islamic Economics and Finance.
Declaring the workshop open, the Executive Secretary of the NUC, Professor Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu, reminded participants that the Commission has the power to lay down minimum standards for all universities and other degree-awarding institutions in the country, as well as accredit their degrees and other academic awards, as vested in it by Section 10 (1) of the Education (National Minimum Standards and Establishment of Institutions) Act, Cap. E3, Laws of the Federation, 2004 (formerly Act No. 16 of 1985 as amended).
He stated that the exercise is being carried out because the Commission had received a number of requests for the development of new curricula from universities and professional bodies after it had embarked on a comprehensive curriculum review exercise that lasted for over two years.
Professor Ribadu noted that the submissions were analysed to ascertain their viability and marketability as academic programmes.
According to a statement published on the NUC’s official website, the Executive Secretary pointed out that the landscape of education and knowledge is rapidly evolving, demanding a curriculum that not only imparts knowledge but also cultivates critical thinking, adaptability, and innovation. This requires that Nigerian students are equipped with 21st-century skills, employability skills, and the self-reliance needed to thrive in a dynamic world.
He urged the reviewers to bring valuable insights and their expertise as experienced resource persons and subject experts in order to draft a befitting curriculum for the new programmes, bearing in mind the nation’s desire for local content/uniqueness in tandem with global best practices.
The NUC scribe advised them to make useful suggestions that would strengthen any weak areas they might identify, rather than merely criticizing the effort. He informed the distinguished panellists that the NUC acknowledges and appreciates their efforts, sacrifices, and services over the years, especially when called on for a national assignment of this nature, and tasked them to continue to give their best as always, while pledging that the Commission would never take such commitment for granted.
In his welcome remarks, the Acting Director of Academic Planning (DAP), NUC, under whose purview the review exercise was conducted, Mal. Abubakar Girei, told participants that the objective is to improve the quality of university education, enhance the advancement of knowledge, and ensure the improved competitiveness of Nigerian students in the global space.
He explained that each panel is assigned two NUC representatives for proper guidance, especially on academic planning matters, while resource persons were carefully selected based on their expertise in their areas of specialization. Mal. Girei further stated that the resource persons were selected from the six geopolitical zones and serve as representatives for the various programmes in the country, as it is practically impossible to assemble all professors in the NUS for the curriculum development exercise.
He disclosed that the final draft curriculum (70%) produced during the exercise will be subjected to further review before approval by the NUC Management and the Federal Executive Council (FEC), while 30% is allotted to the universities to be developed, as in previous exercises.
In his response on behalf of the 12 panels, Professor Amadi Agbu thanked the Executive Secretary for the warm reception since their arrival and assured him that they would do their best to make the exercise rewarding for the NUS.
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