Staff of 206 universities in the country have been trained by the National Universities Commission (NUC) on its series of train-the-trainers’ workshop
The training programme was to ensure effective delivery of the new curriculum- the Core Curriculum and Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS) developed by the Commission for Nigerian universities.
The Coordinator of a segment of the exercise, Prof Emeritus Peter Okebukola, said the objective of the training “is to strengthen the knowledge and skills of all university staff in the effective implementation of the CCMAS.
Speaking to newsmen in Abuja at the end of the four-month training exercise which ended on Thursday, Professor Okebukola said the overall training was coordinated by Professor Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa’i, former Minister of Education and a member of the NUC Strategy Advisory Committee.
According to him “The four-month training had two components – the first was the training of the Directors of Academic Planning and three staff of each university nominated by the Vice-Chancellor.
“This phase of the programme which lasted for three weeks, had an onsite and an online component, and was coordinated by Professor Yakubu Azare of Bayero University, Kano.
He said the second phase of the programme was on “Practical Skills for Delivering the CCMAS in an Online Environment”.
This, he said, involved Directors of ICT and two staff of each university, nominated by the VC.
Prof Okebukola said this phase lasted for three months and was conducted at the NUC-NOUN Virtual Institute for Capacity Building in Higher Education (VICBHE).”
In a press release after the graduation ceremony of the second phase of the training, Okebukola stated that the overall coordinator of the training project, Professor Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa’i, was delighted at the success of the two phases of the training.
According to him, she extolled the commitment of the seven nominees of the Vice Chancellors of each university to the demands of the training.
On his part, Okebukola who is the immediate past Chairman Governing Council of the National Open University of Nigeria, NOUN lauded the impressive efforts of Professor Abubakar Adamu Rasheed, the immediate- past Executive Secretary of NUC, in the rapid revitalization of the Nigerian university system and the support received for the implementation of this agenda from the former Honourable Minister of Education Malam Adamu Adamu.
In his goodwill message, the acting Executive Secretary of NUC,. Christopher Maiyaki, commended the participants and pledged to continue with vigour, the implementation of the revitalisation agenda set by Professor Rasheed.
In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Professor Olufemi Peters expressed delight that NOUN fully sponsored the training as part of its corporate social responsibility to the Nigerian university system and urged the participants to join hands to ensure the successful implementation of the CCMAS.
The convocation lecture was delivered by Professor Abayomi Arigbabu, Honourable Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology of Ogun State and former VC of Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun in which he stressed the importance of blending onsite and online modes in effective delivery of the CCMAS.
The three-month intensive training, according to Okebukola involved 10 hands-on practicals on how to deliver the CCMAS in an online environment; two discussion forum sessions; a special seminar session; end-of-course comprehensive examination; and a project.
At the graduation ceremony, Distinction Plus certificates (for having an overall score of 90% and above of the total score of 1130) were awarded to 90 participants.
A total of 92 earned Distinction grade; 57 Credit; 40 Merit and 27 pass were awarded.
Additionally, 290 participants received the Basic Proficiency in Moodle certificate.
Goodwill messages were received from the Chairperson of the Committee of Vice-Chancellors, Professor Lilian Salami, and the Secretary-General of the Association of African Universities, Professor Olusola Oyewole.
Professor Oyewole whose AAU serves as the voice of higher education in Africa, commended NUC and noted that the Nigerian model of curriculum development “is being encouraged for adoption by other African countries”
Prizes were awarded to Dr. Umar Mohammed of Federal University, Kashere (best overall participant from the federal university sub-system); Dr. Abdulmalik Ahmad Lawan of Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology, Kano (best overall participant-State university sub-system); and Dr. Christopher Onova of Achievers University, Owo (best overall participant-private university sub-system);
Others were Omotayo Onaiyekan (best overall participant from NUC); Professor Rosemary Obasi of Benson Idahosa University (most-committed VICBHE participant- female); Professor Abayomi Arigbabu- Honourable Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology Ogun State (most-committed VICBHE participant- male); and Dr. Komommo Iwarra of Havilla University (best overall participant).