Universities’ new grading regime

The vice chancellor of Usmanu Danfodio University Sokoto, Professor Abdullahi Zuru, for instance, disclosed the new grading regime while addressing students at the 2014/2015 matriculation ceremony of the institution. Until the recent announcements by some vice chancellors, the new grading system remained unknown to many students in most universities. Before we proceed to analyse the […]

The vice chancellor of Usmanu Danfodio University Sokoto, Professor Abdullahi Zuru, for instance, disclosed the new grading regime while addressing students at the 2014/2015 matriculation ceremony of the institution. Until the recent announcements by some vice chancellors, the new grading system remained unknown to many students in most universities.
Before we proceed to analyse the implications of the new grading system approved for Nigerian universities by the NUC; it is important for us to understand what the abolition of pass degree means to graduating, returning and newly admitted students. Before now, the grading system that obtained in universities was in the order of: first class division categorised as ‘A’ representing raw scores in the range of 70-100 percent with a cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.50-5.00; second class upper division categorised as ‘B’ representing raw scores in the range of 60-69 percent with a CGPA of 3.50-4.49; second class lower division categorised as ‘C’ representing raw scores in the range of 50-59 percent with a CGPA of 2.50-3.49; third class division categorised as ‘D’ representing raw scoresin the range of 45-49 percent with a CGPA of 1.50-2.49; and pass degree categorised as ‘E’ representing raw scoresin the range of 40-44 percent with a CGPA of 1.00-1.49.
This used to be the scoring and grading system for students in all Nigerian universities. Under the old grading regime, a student shall be advised to withdraw from his/her course of study when his/her CGPA falls below 1.00 at any given time during his/her period of study in the university. Every semester examination in every course carried 70 percent while assignments, class tests, seminar presentations all put together as Continuous Assessment (CA) carried 30 percent. A student was required, under the old scoring system to obtain at least 40 percent only in order to earn a pass in a course.
For many obvious reasons, this arrangement has neither helped to inspire students to work hard nor supported the system to sustain academic standards. The old grading regime lacked any inbuilt mechanism to motivate students who are generally in different to reading.It equally encouraged lecturers as examiners to compromise standards orabuse the continuous assessment process especially where CA scores are not published before the start of semester examinations. Many unserious students buy as high as 25 out of the 30 marks allotted for continuous assessment, and then ‘plan’ without any extensive reading to get just 15 out of the 70 marks obtainable in the semester examination in order to make the required 40 percent pass mark. This trend has regrettably lowered the hitherto passion for competition among university students in Nigeria. Most contemporary university students work only to get the minimum 40 percent pass mark rather than aspiring to pass with excellent grades. Unless you want an average student in a Nigerian tertiary institution to be ‘as frightened as Macbeth before the ghost of Banquo,’ advising him to strive to be ‘best among bests’ could make him catch ‘fever.’
By the provisions of the new grading regime, the least category of pass previously called ‘pass degree’ and graded as ‘E’ representing raw scoresin the range of 40-44 percent with a CGPA of 1.00-1.50 ceases to exist. The pass mark in every course in all semester examinations in universities shall now begin from 45 percent. This equally means that any score below 45 percent would be considered fail. This also means that all other categories of pass (first class; second class upper; second class lower; and thirdclass) remain as they were; without any change in the classification of the degrees, their respective raw scores and CGPA. One important development to note in the new grading regime is that the least CGPA required for a student to remain in any university academic programme is henceforth 1.50 instead of 1.00 that it used to be. A student whose CGPA falls below 1.50 shall in the language of academics, be ‘advised to withdraw;’ a polite phrase for sending away very unserious students from universities.
By the time the new grading regime brings about the desired improvement in the overall performance of students in examinations, we may feel encouraged to recommend a further upward review of pass mark from 45 to 50 percent that it used to be in the 1960s and early 1970s. It was due to perpetual and abysmal performance of students in examinations that pass mark was lowered by schools, colleges and tertiary institutions from 50 to 40 percent. However, because the university system cannot afford to play with human life, minimum pass mark in the medical sciences has never been lowered from 50 percent. If what obtains in the medical sciences can be applied to other areas of knowledge,it would add value to the class of students that graduate in other fields of study from Nigerian universities.
Parents are encouraged by this piece to speak to their children and wards on the implications of this new grading regime in Nigerian universities. Let us talk to these young, susceptible and gullible minds to realise that there is time for everything. Let us make them understand that a fulfilled life can only be achievedby sacrificing today’s fun for the sake of acquiring worthwhile knowledge. Let us convince them that it pays to work hard. If a student desires to excel in studies, he needs to use more of his time in the library than hespendson texting, browsing, chatting, pinging, facebooking, what’sapping, and instagraming with his smartphone. May Allah (SWT) guide and keep us before, during, and after our studies as undergraduate or postgraduate students on the path of success; and not on the path of failure, amin.