The National Universities Commission (NUC) has concluded its series of train-the-trainers workshops for staff members of 206 universities in the country.

The training was to ensure the effective delivery of the new curriculum- the Core Curriculum and Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS), developed by the commission for Nigerian universities.

Prof. Emeritus Peter Okebukola, Coordinator of a segment of the exercise, said in Abuja that the objective of the training was also to strengthen the knowledge and skills of all university staff in the effective implementation of the CCMAS.

Okebukola said the four-month training exercise was coordinated by the former Minister of Education and a member of the NUC Strategy Advisory Committee, Prof. Ruqayyatu Rufa’i.

“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 program which lasted for three weeks had an onsite and an online component, and was coordinated by Prof. Yakubu Azare of Bayero University, Kano”, he said.

Okebukola said the second phase of the program was on “Practical Skills for Delivering the CCMAS in an Online Environment”.

This, he said, involved directors of ICT and two staff members of each university nominated by the VC.

He also said the phase lasted for three months and was conducted at the NUC-NOUN Virtual Institute for Capacity Building in Higher Education (VICBHE).

The training, according to him involved 10 hands-on practicals on how to deliver the CCMAS in an online environment; two discussion forum sessions; a special seminar session; an end-of-course comprehensive examination, and a project.

In his goodwill message, the acting Executive Secretary of NUC, Christopher Maiyaki, commended the participants and pledged to continue with vigor, the implementation of the revitalization agenda.

In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Prof. Olufemi Peters, felt delighted that NOUN fully sponsored the training as part of its Corporate Social Responsibilities to the Nigerian university system. He urged the participants to join hands to ensure the successful implementation of the CCMAS.

NAN