NUC: Implementation of New Varsity Curriculum to Begin in September

Kuni Tyessi in Abuja

The National Universities Commission (NUC) has said the implementation of the Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS) would begin by September 2023.

The CCMAS document was expected to guide institutions in the design of curricula for their programmes while bringing necessary innovation into the content and delivery of their programmes towards achieving the overall goals of education and training in the country.

Speaking at the stakeholders’ colloquium on CCMAS in Abuja, yesterday, the Acting Executive Secretary of NUC, Chris Maiyaki, said the document would reposition Nigerian universities to be among the best rated in Africa.

Maiyaki, said the CCMAS would make up 70 per cent of the curriculum while the university decides what to include in the remaining 30 per cent.

According to him, the implementation would help sharpen the future of education sector.

“The role and development of the CCMAS is to ensure commitment in advancing of our education and our great nation.

“NUC is primarily dedicated in ensuring quality and global competitiveness of Nigerian universities as well as the graduate we produce.

“The development of the CCMAS went through painstaking process by bringing experts from our universities comprising professors, regulatory bodies, Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) and all stakeholders.

“The CCMAS reflect global initiative that will equip graduates with knowledge and wherewithal that will advance the development of the nation,” he said.

The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, encouraged universities to make optimal use of the 30 per cent university senate’s input.

Mamman, advised universities to ensure that learning outcomes, skills as well as soft skills were acquired, irrespective of the core discipline.

He said skills must be readily applicable to the environment of the university, the country in particular and the global community in general.

“There is no better place and time than now to develop a strategy that will guide tertiary institutions particularly universities in their mandate to provide appropriate manpower for the country.

“This is through using a curriculum and applying minimum standards that would guarantee we teach our students in such a way and manner that they would be highly skilled and employable to contribute to national development efforts.

“Seventy per cent of the total curriculum is captured in the CCMAS while 30 per cent of the curriculum has been ceded to universities Senates to build in the uniqueness of their various universities,” he added.