By Doris Israel Ijeoma
The National Universities Commission (NUC) has responded to the rejection of the Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS) by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), refuting the claims made by the union.
Dr. Noel Saliu, the NUC’s Deputy Executive Secretary for Academics, stated that ASUU’s assertion that there was no official communication from the NUC regarding the review of the Benchmark Minimum Academic Standard (BMAS) is false.
Dr. Saliu emphasized that all universities were actively involved in the development of the Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards. The NUC has been in communication with Vice-Chancellors and other university representatives for the past five years, conducting virtual and on-site meetings to keep them informed about the curriculum review process and provide updates.
The NUC clarified that the curriculum review process began in 2018, with subject experts from various Nigerian universities producing initial draft documents. These drafts were then sent to other experts in Nigerian universities for their input. The feedback received from the universities was carefully considered and incorporated into the working documents for the various curriculum review panels.
It was also made clear by the NUC that they had informed the universities from the beginning that they would provide 70% of the minimum course requirements for graduation, with the remaining 30% to be covered by the universities. This ratio was agreed upon after discussions with the Vice-Chancellors, as the NUC had initially proposed a 50/50 provision, which the universities rejected.
ASUU had expressed concerns that the CCMAS could compromise the quality of university education and undermine the authority of university Senates in academic program development. However, the NUC has maintained that the involvement of Nigerian universities in the curriculum review process has been a longstanding tradition since 1989 and has not been compromised.
The NUC’s response comes after ASUU rejected the CCMAS, labeling it as nightmarish and a potential threat to the quality of university education in Nigeria. ASUU also criticized the NUC for imposing a pre-packaged 70% curriculum content on the Nigerian University System, leaving the university Senates with only 30% autonomy in program development.
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