Elsie Udoh
Gaining admission into a prestigious institution like Lagos State University (LASU) is no small feat. On the day of matriculation, the school is crowded with freshers beaming with smiles as their unexpected but hopeful journey begins.
You can barely get by through the long line of vehicles causing a traffic jam within and outside the school premises and the crowd, but the colourful atmosphere makes the struggle less of a bother, especially with parents ready to give out free food to anyone who does as much as wish their child “happy matriculation.” Take it a step further to offer a few words of prayer, such as “May you matriculate to graduate in Jesus’ name” and you might be leaving with even two plates of a sumptuous meal.
However, two or three years in between the 4-7-year expected study period, these freshers, now in different levels may not have a smiling face anymore as they did during their matriculation. Of course, every tertiary institution comes with its demands that take a toll on each student. But apart from this, there is often a concern for every student that relates to job readiness and availability of one immediately after graduation.
This concern can be attributed to the university curriculum which, although extensive, has too many theories that may not be applicable to the demands of job market reality. The high expectations of employers to find ready-made graduates don’t help in lessening this burden on students as they move towards completion of their undergraduate education.
LASU and CCMAS curriculum
LASU, a once rated best state university because of its unwavering swift adoption of the Core Curriculum and Minimum Academic Standard (CCMAS) teaching system, is now in the 9th position.
The CCMAS was introduced by the National Universities Commission (NUC) for implementation in 2023 to replace the Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards (BMAS), which had been in use since 2007. According to the NUC, the CCMAS was designed “to reflect 21st-century realities, in the existing and new disciplines and programmes in the Nigerian university system.”
It is of note, LASU has tried to stay up-to-date in affording its undergraduates the best quality education, but the fears of the university curriculum’s inability to match labour market demands are still obvious.
This fear is echoed in the words of Dorcas Alao, a 400-level Communication and Media studies student, who applauds the curriculum for the strong starting point it provides but the challenge of its inability to help graduates in the job market still raises a concern for her.
Dorcas Alao, 400 Level Communication and Media Studies Student, LASU
According to her, “While there are some practical courses, especially in the broadcast department, most of the things we still do in school are theoretical. The job market is constantly evolving day by day, and things are changing, students need to be equipped with the latest industry skills which build their skills to ensure they are ready to take on the challenges outside.
Sharing similar sentiments, Bola (not real name), a recent graduate from the Foreign Language (Portuguese) Department expressed his dissatisfaction with the curriculum, noting that it lacked mentorship and practical learning opportunities.
Thanks to the current curriculum, students have been forced to burn the midnight candle and do all the work of learning themselves. “It’s so sad that we had to do everything on our own.
The Portuguese language I know right now are all self-taught. If I had known that it would have ended up like this, I would not have gone to school; I would have just stayed at home and learned Portuguese,” Bola laments.
Tola (not real name), another student who graduated from LASU’s Law Faculty finds the curriculum to be insufficient for learning. “With the curriculum, we were able to cover so much and so little at the same time. We had to touch each aspect of the law on a surface level; we could not just pick one aspect of the law and really dissect it.”
Arogundade Opeyemi, a 100-level English student, expresses optimism about the new teaching standard. She says, “I’d say CCMAS really highlights the important things to learn for my course of study”
Arogundade Opeyemi, 100-level English Education student, LASU
I strongly believe, LASU’s management should be warmly commended for its swift adoption of CCMAS
LASU curriculum still offers the best
Although LASU’s curriculum can be said to have a few shortcomings, some LASUites have applauded its effectiveness in providing them with the necessary requirements for the job market.
Ashiah Sanusi, a 400-level Journalism student acknowledges that some courses are thorough and adequate and commends the institution for providing a solid foundation. “The university curriculum, for me, is sufficient for the job market, depending on the course you’re studying, like Law or Medicine,” she praised.
Sanusi Ashiah, 400-Level Journalism Student, LASU
Roland (not real name), a recent graduate from the Faculty of Law, feels the same way about LASU’s curriculum. He said, “It was sufficient for me because it allowed me to gain insights into different aspects of law. We covered most things that other universities that specialise in one aspect of the law do not cover. The strength of LASU law curriculum always shows when law students go to the law school.”
LASU curriculum and the job market need, what some industry leaders think
With the focus on theoretical teaching, an obvious gap can be said to exist between the academic and industry worlds. This has resulted in some employers pointing out that recent graduates do not possess the critical thinking needed to carry out real-life tasks and this limits their job readiness.
I spoke with Nosakhare Emma-Iyamu at IVI PR who believes that the current university curriculum focuses more on theory than practical experience. “Graduates need to have a level of passion for the role they are applying for and be well prepared for such through enhanced practical training,” he said.
He suggests that incorporating more practical training, career seminars, and extended internships will significantly enhance the readiness of graduates.
Emma-iyamu advised both graduates and undergraduates “For graduates, they should understudy the Igbo apprentice system and undergraduates should find time during their breaks to volunteer at companies to gain work experience before graduating”. The experience gain will help, he concluded
Dr David Olaluwoye, a Lecturer at LASU, also believes there’s a need to merge practical experience with theoretical knowledge.
According to him, “The curriculum focuses more on the theory than the practical aspect, I hope that the curriculum will change and affect more practical-oriented courses for the student.” He further argues there is an urgent need for a curriculum that adapts to industry trends and proposes. Regular review based on employer needs is mandatory.
Dr Olaluwoye commended LASU’s integration of a compulsory 3/6-month internship period but suggested that the current 3-month or 6-month internship programme (depending on the course of study) be reviewed.
“For an average young student to catch up and be fully integrated into the system, he needs an average of at least a year to get to know how the job is done,” he notes. According to him, an extended internship would allow students to gain a deeper understanding of professional practices, ensuring that students are well-prepared for the job market.
Dr David affirmed “Nigerian university curriculum challenge is not peculiar to LASU. “The curriculum issue is a Nigerian thing and not basically a LASU thing.”.
We must commend LASU’s effort in its curriculum integration that is delivering better value than others””
Students reaction to the uncertainties
Some students are well aware of the disadvantages the university curriculum’s theoretical focus gives and have taken steps to gather work experience while in school to make themselves fit for the job market in addition to the curriculum’s offering.
Sanusi, an undergraduate, shares her experience working as a social media manager while studying. Although she laments that the experience was challenging, she sees it as a valuable experience that taught her useful skills and as a help in building her CV. “Working while schooling was hectic, and it was a bit overwhelming for me, trying to keep up with tasks and schoolwork, but working taught me time management.
Another student, Alao, Dorcas moved by the fear of graduating without being job-ready, has resorted to gaining hands-on experience while schooling by working and according to her, this comes with its fair share of
“Working and schooling are very stressful to combine because they cause fatigue. I’m always tired, my social life is declining, and my religious life is also suffering. But I know after graduation this will pay off” Dorcas shared
Take caution, counsellor advised.
Providing expert advice on how students can cope with the pressure of being job-ready and working while schooling, Dr Joseph Ayeni, Head of the Counselling Unit at LASU admonishes, “Working while schooling is a very good idea because many things that are being taught in school are theoretical, but the truth is also that it’s an achievement has a cost attached”
Dr Joseph Ayeni, Head of Counselling Unit, LASU (Photo credit: Google)
“Students who are working while schooling need to be careful about the kind of job that they get involved in. If the job is too demanding, then it will put too much pressure on them, and one of their activities, either work or school, will suffer.
#Elsie Udoh, a campus journalist and 2024 campus Journalism fellow of Africa Foundation for Young Media Professionals sent this story from Lagos State university
