Implementation of new varsity curriculum begins September 2023 – NUC

The National Universities Commission (NUC) says the implementation of the Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS) will begin by September 2023 to meet global best practices, innovation and development.

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

Speaking at the Stakeholders’ Colloquium on CCMAS in Abuja on Wednesday, the Acting Executive Secretary of NUC, Chris Maiyaki said the document would reposition Nigerian universities to be among the best rated in the world.
Mr Maiyaki said that CCMAS would make up 70% of the curriculum while the university decides what to include in the remaining 30%.

” The role and development of the CCMAS is to ensure commitment to the advancement of our education and our great nation. NUC is primarily dedicated to ensuring the quality and global competitiveness of Nigerian universities as well as the graduates we produce.” he said.

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

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

“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.”

The minister commended universities who had concluded their work on the 30 percent component and submitted same for review.

He also urged those who have not, to endeavour to do so in the shortest possible time before next academic session rolls in.

In a keynote address, Former Vice Chancellor, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Prof. Michael Faborode said the idea of the CCMAS was to promote diversification and differentiation in the system.

About Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS)
The CCMAS was developed in 2018 following the review of the Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards (BMAS) the curriculum guide for Nigerian universities, which had been in use since 2007.

The CCMAS also expanded BMAS from 12 to 17 disciplines to reposition the system to reflect the realities of the 21st century.

The 17 disciplines are Administration and Management, Agriculture, Allied Health Sciences, Architecture, Arts, Basic Medical Sciences, Communication and Media Studies, Computing and Education.

Others are Engineering and Technology, Environmental Sciences, Law, Medicine and Dentistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sciences , Social Sciences and Veterinary Medicine.