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| NUC building, Abuja |
NATIONAL UNIVERSITIES COMMISSION
WELCOME ADDRESS BY THE ACTING EXECUTIVE SECRETARY, NATIONAL UNIVERSITIES COMMISSION (NUC), CHRIS J. MAIYAKI, ON THE OCCASION OF THE STAKEHOLDERS’ COLLOQUIUM ON THE CORE CURRICULUM AND MINIMUM ACADEMIC STANDARDS (CCMAS), AT THE IDRIS ABDULKADIR AUDITORIUM, ABUJA, ON WEDNESDAY, 23RD AUGUST, 2023.
Protocol
It is with great pleasure that I welcome you all, on behalf of the Management and Staff of the National Universities Commission (NUC) and, indeed, the entire Nigerian University System (NUS), to this epoch-making Colloquium. Let me specially congratulate, once more, the Honourable Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman and the Honourable Minister of State for Education, Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sununu over their well-deserved appointments. May their tenures be hugely successful and may we record giant strides in the Education Sector. In the absence of the HMEs, one man stood out and held forth with distinction, efficiency and tenacity of purpose. Permit me therefore to extend the Commission’s special welcome to our dear Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, Mr. David Adejo Andrew, OON,. I welcome most warmly, Vice Chancellors, Directors of Academic Planning, other esteemed members of the university community here present and, indeed, all relevant stakeholders and partners in progress of the nation’s higher education sector.
Your presence at this special Colloquium to discuss the state of the Core Curriculum and Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS), its sensitisation, implementation, etc., underscores your sustained interest and commitment to the advancement of education and the future of our great nation.
Today’s gathering provides us with a unique opportunity to deliberate on critical matters concerning the NUS. It is, indeed, a privilege to share with you the multifaceted role of the NUC in fostering the growth and development of our Universities. As the apex regulatory body for university education in Nigeria, the NUC is firmly dedicated to ensuring the quality, integrity, and global competitiveness of Nigerian Universities as well as the graduates that they produce.
Our deliberations, today, will be centred on the evolutionary journey of the curriculum of Nigerian Universities, as piloted by the NUC – from the advent of the Minimum Academic Standards (MAS) in 1989, the Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards (BMAS) in 2007, to the current Core Curriculum and Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS). Since the start of the process of the CCMAS in 2018, we have traversed a path marked by dedication, innovation and inclusivity in the pursuit of excellence.
The CCMAS, being a singular signature innovation, was spearheaded by the immediate-past Executive Secretary of the NUC, Professor Abubakar Adamu Rasheed, MFR, mni, FNAL. Its development went through a profoundly vigorous and painstaking process by teams of experts drawn from the nation’s Universities, comprising professors, professional and regulatory bodies while the private sector was represented by the Nigerian Economic Submit Group (NESG) and all other relevant stakeholders. We are all gathered here today, to kick-start implementation, update and debrief the nation and, indeed, the world at large, on the state of the CCMAS.
The reviewed Curriculum is endowed with unique features tailored to meet the evolving demands of the rapidly changing world. 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.
Colleagues, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, we stand on the precipice/threshold of change, and I want to implore each and every one of us to engage wholeheartedly, in the discussions to follow, aimed at paving the way for a successful implementation of the CCMAS, which will take effect from September, 2023. We all have a commitment to embrace the new skills and opportunities that will emanate from the full deployment of the new Curriculum. It is, therefore, our clarion call on all, not only to adapt, but also to key fully into the dynamic, globalised and interconnected world of the 21st Century.
The mandate of the NUC is to guide the nation’s Universities, and by so doing, it stands as a beacon of hope for the entire university system. For instance, the 30% input expected from the Universities into the new Curriculum deployment process, is not a mere formality, but a vital mechanism that fosters synergy and also accommodates/promotes the peculiar needs of each institution. The percentage was derived from a thoughtful consideration of the transformational impact of the Curriculum on the future graduates of our Universities.
Let me, at this point, extend my heartfelt gratitude to all of you for consistently honouring our invitations to attend meetings of this kind. Your presence signifies support and commitment to the arduous task of shaping the future of our nation’s education sector. As we collectively embark on this journey, let us remain steadfast in our resolve to make history, bring about positive change, and elevate the NUS to new heights.
I invite you to fully engage in the discourse, ask questions, challenge assumptions, and contribute your invaluable insights. Together, we need to chart a new course that transcends boundaries, unites aspirations, and propels our Universities towards a brighter, and more globally competitive future.
PS, Distinguished Guests and Participants, once more, I warmly welcome you all to this memorable event, while urging you to seize this opportunity to create a lasting impact on the Nigerian University System and, by extension, our beloved nation.
Thank you for your kind attention. Long Live the Federal Republic of Nigeria, God bless the NUS.
Chris J. Maiyaki
Acting Executive Secretary, NUC