MINISTER PRESENTS BENCHMARK STANDARDS FOR POSTGRADUATE PROGRAMMES

The Minister of Education, Prof. Ruquattu Rufai, yesterday in Abuja rolled out a Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards (BMAS) for Postgraduate Programmes in Nigerian universities.

Speaking at the presentation and distribution of BMAS to deans of approved postgraduate programmes, the Minister who lamented that most universities establish academic programmes without recourse to vital documents or standards said that BMAS will serve as a guide for the planning and curriculum and teaching courses in the universities.

She said 'I want to remind the universities that the pedagogical methods and other standards contained in the documents are minimum requirements.

She said the federal government through the National Universities Commission would use the documents as guide for assuring quality in postgraduate education in Nigeria.'

She revealed that the federal government would soon commence comprehensive accreditation of postgraduate programmes in Nigerian universities through which the level of compliance with the BMAS for postgraduate programmes would be determined.