FG Introduces menial studies, others to varsity curriculum – Newstrends
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FG Introduces menial studies, others to varsity curriculum

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Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu

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

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

The National Universities Commission yesterday unveiled a new Core Curriculum and Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS) with 17 disciplines and 238 academic programmes to replace the Benchmark Minimum Academic Standard (BMAS) used in Nigerian universities.

The Federal Government also approved three new courses in the university system, namely Allied Health Sciences, Architecture and Communication, and Menial studies.

Speaking on the CCMAS at NUC celebration of 60 years of regulating university education in Nigeria, NUC Executive Secretary, Prof. Peter Okebukola, said the new curriculum addressed the knowledge and skill gaps as it was replacing in comparable in contents to similar curriculum in the best university system in the world and relevant to Nigeria’s social cultural context.

He said while the CCMAS provided 70 per cent of core curriculum as minimum for all Nigerian universities, it allowed universities to customize the curriculum by adding 30 percent of courses to reflect their uniqueness, missions and peculiarities.

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“It places assent on 100 percent entrepreneurship, practical rather than theoretical knowledge and skills and the development of the 21st century skills in line with contemporary global best practice, a change of nomenclature has happened from BMAS to CCMAS,” he said.

He said the new curriculum was to stimulate greater learning in its delivery and strategically configured to produce future fit graduates, provide essential foundation for lifelong learning, nurture deep thinkers and problem solvers and graduates highly skilled in their professions and disciplines and encourage interdependencies of disciplines.

He said over 16,000 participants were involved in the development of the curriculum.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, said the core curriculum had taken cognizance of the need to provide greater academic autonomy to universities with regards to development of some percentage of course contents.

He commended the commission for sharing the minimum graded units required for graduation with universities in the ratio of 70 to 30 per cent.

He said the recent industrial action by university based unions had necessitated a revisit of the issues that called for universities autonomy by government.

 “This will lead to the review of university autonomy laws to appropriately address funding, including staff remuneration, institutional governance as well as issue of internally generated revenue.”

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In the new curriculum, Mass Communication was unbundled to Advertising, Broadcasting, Development Communication Studies, Film and Multimedia, Information and Media Studies, Journalism and Media Studies, Mass Communication, Public Relations and Strategic Communication.

Agriculture was unbundled into programmes in its contributing components of B.Sc Agricultural Economics, B.Sc. Animal Science, B.Sc. Crop Science and B.Sc. Soil Science;

There is also the unbundling of Architecture and introduction of Architecture as a new discipline with programmes like Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Architectural Technology, Interior Architecture design Architectural Technology and Naval architecture.

There is also the split of the Basic Medical Sciences discipline into Basic Medical Sciences and Allied Health Science;

Also is the reduction of the General Studies course from 36 credit units to 12 credit units of 6 courses such as Communication in English; Nigerian People and Culture; Philosophy, Logic and Human Existence; Entrepreneurship and Innovation; Venture creation; and Peace and Conflict resolution.

Entrepreneurship has been repackaged with the introduction of programme-specific entrepreneurship;

Education

NASU, SSANU end strike, direct members to resume work Monday

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NASU, SSANU end strike, direct members to resume work Monday

The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) have ended their one-week warning strike.

They have therefore directed their members to resume work on Monday March 25.

The leadership of the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) also directed its members to resume duty Monday.

The union however gave the federal government two weeks to pay the withheld salaries.

President of NAAT, Ibeji Nwokoma, said his association had suspended the warning strike and would be meeting with the House of Representatives Committee on Education on Wednesday afternoon.

The Reps Committee had invited the three university – based unions that went on strike alongside the Minister of Education in order to find an amicable resolution of the issues that led to the strike.

In a circular to its branch chairmen, the JAC of SSANU and NASU, directed members in the universities and Inter-University centers to resume duty on Monday.

The circular, titled: “Re: 7-Days Warning Strike”, was signed by Prince Peters Adeyemi, NASU General Secretary and Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim, SSANU President.

It read in part, “The leadership of National Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) acknowledge and commend the courage, tenacity. commitment and resoluteness of members of the two Unions in effectively prosecuting the 7-day warning strike action across the branches.

“After evaluating the 7-day warning strike that commenced on Monday, 18th March, 2024, the JAC confirmed that the tempo of the warning strike has been massive, comprehensive and total in most of our Universities and Inter-University Centres.

“It therefore salutes the dedication, resoluteness and loyalty of members to the cause of the Union’s struggle for the payment of 4 months’ withheld salaries. We are proud of your concerted efforts.

“Consequently, you are hereby informed that the 7-day warning strike shall end at midnight of Sunday, 24th March, 2024 and normal work will resume on Monday, 25th March, 2024.

“While assuring you that the struggle for the payment of the four months’ withheld salaries is ongoing, further issues such as Renegotiation of Year 2009 FGN/NASU and SSANU Agreements, Payment of N50 Billion Earned Allowances and others will continue to receive the same attention.

“Therefore, JAC leadership will continue meaningful engagement with the relevant government agencies in both executive and legislative arms and you will be duly notified of the next line of action(s) to be taken.”

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BREAKING: WAEC releases results of first CB-WASSCE

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BREAKING: WAEC releases results of first CB-WASSCE

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC), Nigeria, has released the results of the first-ever Computer-Based West African Senior School Certificate Examination (CB- WASSCE) for Private Candidates, 2024–First Series.

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The examination was held between Wednesday, January 31, and Saturday, February 17, 2024.

A total of 8,139 candidates sat the examination at 140 CBT centres nationwide.

BREAKING: WAEC releases results of first CB-WASSCE

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WAEC blacklists Abia schools over malpractice

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WAEC blacklists Abia schools over malpractice

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC), has barred some secondary schools in Abia State from participating in the regional body’s examination over involvement in examination malpractice.

Commissioner for Education Prof. Uche Eme Uche, who disclosed this during a press briefing in Umuahia, the state capital, said that the state had just been informed by WAEC about the development.

Although she didn’t disclose the affected schools, the commissioner noted that most of the schools affected were private schools.

The Commissioner, who frowned at any act capable of tarnishing the image of the state, said the operational licences of the affected schools would be withdrawn as a deterrent to others.

She explained that the state supported the action by WAEC as it would help halt the lowering of academic standards in schools by some dubious operators.

 Uche said the state had previously shut down some of the affected schools due to their unwholesome practices,but they  continued to cut corners.

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Speaking earlier, Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, said  the state governor, Dr Alex Otti had approved the immediate renovation of 170 primary and 51 public secondary schools across the state.

He said 10 primary and three secondary schools would be selected from each of the 17 Local Government Areas in the state.

The renovation, according to him, is to give a facelift to public schools in the state and make them conducive and attractive for learning.

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