FG unveils new curriculum for universities today

The Federal Government, through the National Universities Commission, is set to release the newly-developed curriculum for Nigerian universities on Monday (today), The PUNCH can confirm.

The PUNCH reports that the NUC had in 2021 inaugurated a committee of experts drawn from various disciplines in Nigerian universities to design the new core curriculum and minimum academic standards for universities.

The date for the unveiling was contained in a letter to stakeholders and signed by the NUC’s Deputy Executive Secretary, Administration, Chris Maiyaki.

According to a copy of the letter obtained by our correspondent on Sunday, the unveiling is part of activities marking the commission’s 60th anniversary.

The message partly reads, “On behalf of the management and staff of the National Universities Commission, the Executive Secretary, Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, invites all its stakeholders to celebrate 60 years of meritorious service to the Nigerian tertiary education sub-sector and the nation.

“The event is scheduled to take place on December 5 and 6, 2022 at the NUC secretariat.

“The event will feature among others the launching of the new core curriculum and minimum academic standards of universities; inauguration of the national steering committee on transnational education and recognition of past and present champions of higher education in Nigeria.”

Speaking during a recent event in Abuja, Rasheed noted that the new curriculum, core curriculum and minimum academic standards were brought about after a comprehensive review of Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards currently in use.

He had said, “The Federal Ministry of Education, through the National Universities Commission, has embarked on radical re-engineering of curricula in Nigerian universities to meet global standards and international best practices towards preparing Nigerian graduates for relevance in the fourth revolution world economy with the skills needed for the future.

“The Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards has been revised to Core Curriculum and Minimum Academic Standards.

“The CCMAS, which will soon be unveiled to the public, provides 70 per cent of what should be taught along with the expected outcome, while the university will provide 30 per cent based on their contextual peculiarities and characteristics.”