Managing Lacuna in Core Curriculum and Minimum Academic Standard (CCMAS) for Quality Academic Delivery in Nigerian Universities

Abstract

Curriculum development and education are inseparable. The attainment of high-quality education is basically determined by the contents that are designed for the program or how coordinated the curriculum is being structured. The introduction of novel programs and contents with drastic change and innovation of new ideas in the educational sector by policymakers is a welcome development. In preparing an academic curriculum, all the processes and procedures must be duly followed which gives room for all hands must be on deck. The lacuna in preparation of core curriculum and minimum academic standard (CCMAS) and corresponding effects are in different phases which are: the educational stakeholder's lacuna (administrators, lecturers, students, parents), the societal effect (unemployment, low funding and sponsorship, unrest in the society) and the future effect (higher quantity of graduates as against high quality of graduate). The way forward for quality academic curriculum development includes full involvement of all the relevant stakeholders, adequate provision of funds and logistics and functional implementation mechanism. The paper concluded that academic curriculum development is key to quality academic development and delivery. Also, it was recommended amongst other things that policy makers should always consult, incorporate and involve all the stakeholders before, during and after the preparation of the academic curriculum for smooth teaching and learning in order to have sound manpower. Policymakers should adopt bottom to top approach instead of top to bottom approach in developing academic content.