Embarking on a journey towards global recognition of Nigeria educational system, the National Universities Commission (NUC) is advancing the full implementation of Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS).
The new curriculum was unveiled by NUC in 2022, aimed at making university education in Nigeria more responsive to the needs of the society. Existing and new disciplines and programmes in the university system have been redesigned to mirror 21st Century realities.
The CCMAS has 17 disciplines, an expansion from the 12 disciplines contained in BMAS. The disciplines are Arts, Administration and Management, Social Sciences, Law, Communication and Media Studies, Education, Agriculture, Architecture, and Computing. Others are Engineering and Technology, Environmental Sciences, Medicine and Dentistry, Pharmaceutical Science, Allied Health Sciences, Sciences, Basic Medical Sciences, and Veterinary Medicine.
The CCMAS has the objective of improving the standard of Nigerian universities, making graduates from Nigerian universities more employable and equipped with local, national and international knowledge. It is a product of sustained stakeholder interactions over two years – involving a blend of academic experts, academies, government (represented by NUC), professional bodies and, of course, the private sector, represented by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG). Although some critical stakeholders have kicked against the curriculum, the government has maintained its stance on th imperatives of having a new curriculum design.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) for instance, has kicked against CCMAS, it is a threat to quality university education and an erosion of powers of the university senate in Nigerian universities. But speaking recently on the curriculum, the Acting Executive Secretary of NUC, Mr. Chris J. Maiyaki, said the Commission was poised to ensure full implementation of the recently launched CCMAS by all universities in Nigeria.
Maiyaka called on stakeholders including the Association of Registrars of Nigerian Universities (ARNU) to join hand and ensure full implementation of the CCMAS as the document was now a reference document for NUC Resource Verification going forward. Maiyaka further stressed that the CCMAS was painstakingly put together by seasoned professors from each programme, professionals and captains of industries, adding that the outcome of the CCMAS was in line with global best practices, fit-for-purpose and capable of producing graduates that could compete globally.