21st-Century Realities: FG Unveils New Curriculum For University Education

Federal Government has announced a new curriculum for university education in the country, saying it is to reflect the 21st-century realities. The Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, disclosed this on Monday at the unveiling of the new curriculum in Abuja.

Osibanjo said the development was part of efforts geared towards making university education become more responsive to the pressing needs of society.

Professor Osinbajo was represented at the unveiling by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha.

He explained that the introduction of the Core Curriculum and Minimum Standard to university education will address local issues, meet international standards and uplift scholarship in Nigerian universities.

The Vice president also commended the NUC for the unbundling of such disciplines as Agriculture and the emergence of three courses – Allied Health Sciences, Architecture and Communication, and media studies – the three new courses in Nigerian Universities.

“This document has indeed taken cognizance of the need to provide greater academic autonomy to universities with regards to the development of some percentage of course content.

“I commend the commission of this decision to share the minimum credit unit required for graduation in the Nigerian university in the ratio of 70 to 30 per cent. This will further create institutional peculiarity,” he said.

Speaking also at the event, Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, said the commission has commenced the journey to restructure the Benchmark for Minimum Academic Standards BMAS in 2018, saying that it has introduced in its place, the Core Curriculum and Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS).

He added that the new CCMAS is a product of sustained stakeholder interactions over two years.