Lecturers' commitment and perceived challenges of implementing core curriculum and minimum academic standards in Kwara state, Nigeria

The study examined lecturers’ commitment and perceived challenges in implementing the Core Curriculum and Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS) in universities in Kwara State, Nigeria. It also explored factors influencing commitment, innovative strategies for improving curriculum delivery, and differences in commitment based on demographic and professional characteristics. A descriptive survey research design was adopted. The population comprised all lecturers in public and private universities in Kwara State, while 462 lecturers from three universities were selected using simple random sampling. Data were collected using a validated researcher-designed questionnaire (Cronbach's Alpha = 0.89). Mean and standard deviation answered the research questions, while ANOVA tested the hypothesis at 0.05 significance level. Results showed a high level of lecturers’ commitment to CCMAS implementation (62.6%). Frequent curriculum policy changes, large class sizes, and limited management support were identified as the most influential factors affecting commitment. Major challenges included inadequate coordination between the NUC and universities, insufficient funding, large student enrolments, limited professional development, and inadequate teaching resources. Innovative strategies rated highly were policies promoting creativity and autonomy, sustainable curriculum funding, inclusive curriculum review processes, and industry collaboration. ANOVA results revealed significant differences in commitment based on gender, age, academic status, and teaching experience. The study concludes that effective CCMAS implementation requires robust institutional support, adequate resources, and innovation-driven policies that enhance lecturer motivation and teaching effectiveness. It recommends improved coordination between stakeholders, targeted professional development, and strengthened institutional frameworks to support sustainable curriculum delivery.