TOPICAL ISSUES AND PROSPECTS OF TRADITIONAL AND PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENTS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF CORE CURRICULUM AND MINIMUM ACADEMIC STANDARDS IN NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES.

Abstract

Demands for new knowledge and skills in the 21st Century are impacting teaching, learning, and assessment in universities in Nigeria. The National Universities Commission (NUC) in 2022 introduced Core Curriculum and Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS) for the Nigerian Universities System. Part of the implementation strategy of the CCMAS is the introduction of modern teaching methods. The ultimate goal is for students in Nigerian universities to acquire experiential learning. However, the assessment strategies critical to modern teaching methods were not incorporated in the implementation document of the CCMAS. Unfortunately, traditional assessments cannot evaluate experiential learning. This paper analysed topical issues and prospects of using conventional and portfolio assessments in the Nigerian university system. The paper established that despite the capacity of portfolio assessment to provide a nuanced, holistic, and student-centred evaluation of learning, most lecturers in the universities in Nigeria, still use traditional assessment. It recommended, among others, a robust educational policy direction to support the introduction of portfolio assessment in the Nigerian university system