9th April 2026 

Curriculum Overhaul Urged: “Don’t Develop in a Silo” 

University curricula must be living documents,not dusty binders on a shelf. That was the clear message from a recent workshop on best practices for designing and reviewing academic programs.

Facilitator Dr. Maxim Conjoh opened by laying down two non-negotiable pillars:

Outcomes-Based Education (OBE) and  Constructive Alignment.

“We must define what graduates should know, do, and value by the time they finish. Everything else, content, teaching, assessment, aligns to these predefined learning outcomes,”Dr. Conjoh argued, linking OBE directly to the value chain of education earlier emphasized by the Deputy Vice Chancellor of FBC, Professor Andrew Baio.

On Constructive Alignment, Dr. Conjoh pressed for relevance to national priorities. 

“Ensure tight alignment with national development goals and community needs, environmental management, climate change, smart agriculture, entrepreneurship, social change, agro-engineering, and artificial intelligence.”

The Missing Piece: Stakeholder Engagement 

Dr. Conjoh identified a core principle often ignored in current practice: genuine stakeholder involvement. 

“Don’t develop in a silo. Include faculty, current students, alumni, industry advisors, instructional designers,librarians, policy makers,etc.”

He outlined a practical sequence: map, identify, and categorize stakeholder groups, then use surveys, focus groups, interviews, and meetings.“This captures strategic input on expectations, gaps, delivery modes, and the competencies employers actually want.” 

“View Curriculum as a Living Document.” Professor Lebbie reinforced the need for constant renewal. 

“Use a regular, predictable cycle,every three to five years for a major review, with annual minor tweaks.”He ended with a direct challenge to all lecturers:“Understand pedagogy. Be fully exposed to issues of developing and delivering curriculum.”

 Tools, Quality Assurance, and Hard Truths 

Professor Ronney Frazer Williams introduced a practical tool: the SPHIRE template.“This template can be populated by the faculty or department,with program names, learning objectives, instructional methods, assessments, and staff profiles,”he explained.

“In most cases, heads and deans have not been able to access curricula. Some simply ignore approved documents and choose to do what they prefer.” 

His remedy came from Professor Andrew Baio:“These documents should be popularized and placed in a digital repository so that everyone can know, access, and use them.”

Looking Ahead 

From labor market analysis to benchmarking peer programs, the workshop stressed that curriculum development is never finished. As Dr. Conjoh summarized:“Start with the end in mind, but engage every voice along the way.”

By

Dr.Tonya Musa Director of Communication and International Relations