Education stakeholders have applauded the move by the National Universities Commission (NUC) to change the curriculum, introduce new programmes and unbundle courses, among others describing it as a right step in the right direction.
Oyintonyo Michael-Olomu, a senior lecturer at the Federal University, Otuoke in Bayelsa State described the step taken by NUC as a commendable one because times are changing and this calls for a holistic approach to arrest the situation.
“The change of curriculum is to enhance contemporary knowledge. The world is revolving around technology and science, and changing the curriculum makes knowledge progressive. Our curriculum should be channelled towards producing graduates who have what it takes to improve our communities and societies,” she said.
Furthermore, Michael-Olomu reiterated that education is to shape the behaviours of learners, and as such learning is not static but dynamic. As times are changing, learners should be exposed to these happenings, and this will be channelled or infused into the curriculum.
“I must commend the NUC on this as it is absolutely long overdue. Old wines are put in new bottles, hence, courses that tailor recent events and happenings such as Artificial Intelligence, and Robotics, Terrorism among others should be introduced so that learners can be exposed to solving problems amicably,” she said.
Similarly, Sunday Oluruntola, a senior lecturer at the University of Lagos commended the step taken by NUC to reposition university education in Nigeria.
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“It is a good development because this is tailored towards specialisation from the undergraduate level. The unbundling of courses, for instance, in the Mass Communication Department will enable expertise even at the undergraduate cadre.
“The undergraduate level is what matters most, and this is where specialisation begins, which is what the new curriculum is out to achieve. There is no more room for blanket mass communication, each student chooses what he or she wants to study right from day one,” he noted.
Greg Ezeah, a senior lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in Enugu State applauded it as a very positive development.
“There is a great need for tertiary institutions in Nigeria to meet up with global standards and to achieve this, the curriculum needs to be reviewed.
“The unbundling of some courses especially in the Mass Communication department is for specialisation and manpower development, and it is ideal for the development of individual students’ employability skills,” he said.
However, for Stanley Alaubi, a senior lecturer at the University of Port Harcourt curriculum change should be the prerogative of individual institutions and not a federal government major concern.
“It should not be forced by the government on institutions. Other nations of the world allow each individual institution to develop its curriculum using the national blueprint. I just hope we get it right in this country,” he said.
Recall that NUC has introduced new programmes into the Nigerian university system. According to the federal government, the new curriculum is known as Core Curriculum and Minimum Academic Standards, and it is expected to reflect 21st-century realities.
In order to achieve this objective, NUC changed the benchmark minimum academic standards (BMAS) to core curriculum and minimum academic standards (CCMAS).
The CCMAS, provides 70 percent of what should be taught along with the expected outcome, while the university will provide 30 percent based on their individual contextual peculiarities and characteristics,
The CCMAS has 17 disciplines and 238 academic programmes which will replace the BMAS used in Nigerian universities.
Besides, the federal government has approved three new courses in the university system, namely Allied Health Sciences, Architecture and Communication, and Menial studies.
While 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 in the new curriculum.
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