Implementation of new varsity curriculum begins September — NUC – Newstrends
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Implementation of new varsity curriculum begins September — NUC

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Implementation of new varsity curriculum begins September — NUC

National Universities Commission (NUC) has revealed that the implementation of the new Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS) will commence by September 2023 in line with the Federal government’s efforts to reposition and revitalize Nigerian universities.

In the same light, the Federal government has tasked tertiary institutions in the country to strengthen their quality mechanism in producing graduates who are highly skilled and employable to contribute to national development efforts.

Acting Executive Secretary of NUC, Mr Chris Maiyaki, speaking at the Stakeholders’ Colloquium on CCMAS on Wednesday in Abuja said the document would reposition Nigerian universities to be among the best rated in Africa.

He added that CCMAS was designed to guide institutions on development of curricula for their programmes while bringing necessary innovation into the content and delivery of their programmes towards achieving the overall goals of education and training in the country.

Maiyaki said that CCMAS would make up 70 per cent of the curriculum while the university decides what to include in the remaining 30 per cent.

He noted the reviewed curriculum is endowed with unique features tailored to meet the evolving demands of the rapidly changing world, adding that it emphasises interdisciplinary learning, soft and critical skills development, entrepreneurship and value creation.

“Thus, the CCMAS reflects a global perspective that would equip our graduates with the 21st Century knowledge and wherewithal that transcend traditional boundaries,” he said.
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The NUC boss added, ”The role and development of the CCMAS is to ensure commitment in advancing our education and great nation.

”NUC is primarily dedicated to ensuring quality and global competitiveness of Nigerian universities as well as the graduates we produce.

” The development of the CCMAS went through a painstaking process by bringing experts from our universities comprising of professors, regulatory bodies, Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) and all stakeholders.

‘The CCMAS reflects global initiative that will equip graduates with knowledge and wherewithal that will advance the development of the nation,” he said.

Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, in his remark, said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration is unwaveringly committed to the continuous repositioning and revitalisation of the entire education sector for a quickened socio-economic development of Nigeria.

He urged universities to make optimal use of the 30 per cent university senate’s input, stressing that tertiary institutions in the country must strengthen their quality mechanism to ensure that graduates who are produced are highly skilled and employable to contribute to national development efforts.

Mamman advised universities to ensure that learning outcomes, skills as well and soft skills were acquired, irrespective of the core discipline.

He said that the skills must be readily applicable to the environment of the university, the country in particular and the global community in general.

”There is no better place and time than now to develop a strategy that will guide tertiary institutions particularly universities in their mandate to provide appropriate manpower for the country.

”This is through using a curriculum and applying minimum standards that would guarantee we teach our students in such a way and manner that they would be highly skilled and employable to contribute to national development efforts.

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” 70 per cent of the total curriculum is captured in the CCMAS while 30 per cent of the curriculum has been ceded to universities Senates to build in the uniqueness of their various universities.

”This principle allows for a good deal of adaptation that suits not only local peculiarities of the universities but provides universities opportunities to carve a niche for themselves in areas of comparative advantage,” he said.

The minister commended universities who had concluded their work on the 30 per cent component and submitted same for review.

He also urged those who have not to endeavour to do so in the shortest possible time as the next academic session rolls in.

He pledged the commitment of the Federal Government in ensuring that our education system remained nationally relevant and globally competitive.

In a keynote address, Former Vice Chancellor, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Prof. Michael Faborode said the idea of the CCMAS was to promote diversification and differentiation in the system.

This he said was to provide proper conceptual administrative guidelines and a harmonised legal framework for higher education.

Faborode commended the over 70 per cent universities that had already complied with the uploading of their 30 per cent curriculum inputs into the CCMAS.

He said this was the way to go so that universities could be globally relevant and competitive and as well provide the educational needs to the students so they could be employable after graduation.

CCMAS was developed in 2018 following the review of the Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards (BMAS) –the curriculum guide for Nigerian universities, which had been in use since 2007.

The CCMAS also expanded BMAS from 12 to 17 disciplines to reposition the system to reflect the realities of the 21st century.

The 17 disciplines are Administration and Management, Agriculture, Allied Health Sciences, Architecture, Arts, Basic Medical Sciences, Communication and Media Studies, Computing and Education.

Others are Engineering and Technology, Environmental Sciences, Law, Medicine and Dentistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sciences, Social Sciences and Veterinary Medicine.

Implementation of new varsity curriculum begins September — NUC

Education

12-year-old Nigerian girl Eniola Shokunbi invents air filter to reduce spread of diseases in US schools

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Eniola Shokunbi

12-year-old Nigerian girl Eniola Shokunbi invents air filter to reduce spread of diseases in US schools

A 12-year-old Nigerian from Connecticut, USA, Eniola Shokunbi, has designed an air filter to reduce spread of air borne diseases in the US schools.

The design aims at creating low-cost air filters for classrooms.

The Connecticut State Bond Commission has approved $11.5 million in funding for the design.

Eniola in her fifth grade at Commodore MacDonough STEM Academy of Middletown, they were tasked with creating a solution to enhance safety in schools during potential future pandemics.

Therefore, to combat airborne viruses like COVID-19, she developed a simple but effective air filter system.

Design

Shokunbi’s air filter design showcases both innovation and cost-effectiveness. The unit is constructed using a simple combination of components: a box fan, four furnace filters, duct tape, and cardboard.

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This ingenious assembly results in a remarkably low production cost of approximately $60 per unit. This makes it a highly affordable alternative to commercial air purifiers.

Eniola Shokunbi said, “The air goes through all the sides, and it comes out of the top. So it filters in and out.”

With support from scientists at the University of Connecticut, UConn, Eniola’s design underwent rigorous testing.

The Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, confirmed that the device effectively eliminates over 99% of airborne viruses, showcasing its potential to significantly improve classroom safety.

The recent approval by the State Bond Commission allocates $11.5 million for the implementation of these air filters across Connecticut schools.

This funding is part of UConn’s SAFE-CT: Supplemental Air Filtration for Education Program, which aims to ensure that every public school classroom has access to these vital air purification systems.

Eniola’s vision extends beyond Connecticut; she aspires to see her air filters implemented in classrooms nationwide.

“A lot of people don’t realize that the only thing standing between them and getting sick is science,” Eniola Shokunbi said.

Also, she emphasized the importance of investing in scientific solutions for children’s health.

12-year-old Nigerian girl Eniola Shokunbi invents air filter to reduce spread of diseases in US schools

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Minister wants FG to revive Jonathan’s Almajiri system of education

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Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa

Minister wants FG to revive Jonathan’s Almajiri system of education

Alausa made the call when the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund led by its Chairman, Sen. Muntari Dandutse, visited the ministry for an oversight function.

Alausa, who was newly posted to the ministry, decried the high rate of out-of-school children, saying that with enough fund allocation, the menace would be tackled.

“We have up to 20 million out-of-school children.

“I met with the Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School, who said that the 20 million was even under-quoted.

“It is about 40 million to 50 million. This is a danger that can consume everybody. We have to make these schools work.

“Former President Goodluck Jonathan built about 137 Almajiri schools during his tenure, but today, it is sad that only a few of these schools are operational,” he said.

Alausa said that there was a lot of infrastructural decay in the schools, adding that with the Almajiri Commission established by an act of Parliament, the ministry would empower the children.

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He, however, called for more funding to achieve the desired goal of ensuring that out-of-school children were taken off the streets.

The minister further said that the ministry would find a way of keeping children in school by making the Home Grown Feeding Programme viable and sustainable.

“We will design the nutrition, we will ensure that the children get good nutrition which will translate into better brain development, and enable us to develop human capital,” he said.

He also said that the nation was churning out graduates that were not employable.

“We have to refocus, and the way we are refocusing is that going forward, we will focus on Science Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medical Sciences (STEMM).

“Today, we have hospitals built, infrastructure is there and funded, but we do not have medical personnel to run them.

“We will also focus on technical, and vocational education. We will encourage 80 per cent practical training and 20 per cent theory,” she said.

The Chairman of the Committee, Sen. Muntari Dandutse, said that the Senate would collaborate with the ministry to make education a priority in the country.

Dandutse also called on the minister to give attention to the issues of security and power supply to higher institutions.

“Most of the allocation to the universities is going to the payment of electricity bills. We need to work together to ensure that they have an uninterrupted power supply,” he said.

Minister wants FG to revive Jonathan’s Almajiri system of education

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FG reverses 18-year admission entry for varsities, sets new priorities

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Dr. Tunji Alausa

FG reverses 18-year admission entry for varsities, sets new priorities

In a significant policy shift, Nigeria’s newly appointed Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has announced the abolition of the 18-year admission benchmark for tertiary institutions across the country.

During his inaugural press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, he also indicated plans to review the nation’s education policy.

Despite these changes, Alausa reaffirmed that there will be no reversal of the Federal Government’s recent decision to invalidate over 22,700 degree certificates obtained by Nigerians from certain “fake” universities in neighboring Togo and the Benin Republic.

This move aims to uphold the integrity of the nation’s education system.

Emphasizing the need for practical education, Alausa noted that the current system cannot continue producing graduates without corresponding job opportunities, which has contributed to Nigeria’s rising unemployment rates.

To address this, he announced plans for the federal government to partner with private sector operators to provide training and development opportunities for students, unlocking their potential for future employment.

Additionally, Alausa expressed a commitment to empowering universities of agriculture to adopt commercial farming practices as a strategic approach to combat food insecurity in the country.

 

FG reverses 18-year admission entry for varsities, sets new priorities

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