The Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards, which were examined by the National Universities Commission, have been resisted by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
In a statement, the union referred to the new curriculum as nightmare-like, a danger to the standard of higher education, and a diminution of the authority of the university Senate in Nigerian universities.
The National President of the ASUU, Prof. On Friday, Emmanuel Osodeke made the observation that it was absurd for NUC to pre-package 70% CCMAS content and attempt to impose it on the Nigerian University System.
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He expressed regret that only 30% of the academic program development was left to the university Senates, who are legally responsible for it.
Osodoke also mentioned that there were growing worries regarding the CCMAS documents’ numerous flaws and obvious inadequacies.
“ASUU is aware that it is the responsibility of the NUC to establish academic standards and ensure quality in the NUS. The NUC is required by Section 10(1) of the Education (National Minimum Standards and Establishment of Institutions) Act, Cap. E3, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, to establish the minimum requirements for all universities and other degree-granting institutions in the Federation and to oversee the accreditation of those institutions’ degrees and other academic awards.
However, the method used to create the standard is equally important, if not more so, than the “minimum standards” that are ultimately produced.
In this case, the NUC has recently produced CCMAS documents that contain 70% of the curriculum in 17 academic fields using hazy procedures with little to no input from the universities.
The academic union also noted that while many university administrators were annoyed by the Commission’s antics, they were reluctant to voice their opinions in public regarding CCMAS.
The statement, however, showed that some university Senates were open about their displeasure with the NUC’s ongoing attempts to impose CCMAS on Nigerian universities.
The text therein stated, “The CCMAS is a nightmare example of curriculum reengineering. The Nigerian University System as a whole is affected by this anomaly.
Both the process and the content of the CCMAS documents are flawed. The notion that 70% of the population is “untouchable” according to the CCMAS is unfounded and cannot withstand the scrutiny of university Senates.”
However, it was recommended that “NUC should encourage universities, as is currently being done by the University of Ibadan, to propose innovations for the review of their programs. In order to review the current BMAS documents and/or create new ones as necessary, proposals from various universities should first be sorted and then synthesized by more knowledgeable expert teams.
“The difference here is the bottom-up approach, as opposed to the top-bottom or take-it-or-leave-it model of the CCMAS.”
