The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has inaugurated a 16-man committee to develop a standard curriculum for the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps training colleges across the country.
He said while inaugurating the committee on Thursday in Abuja that training and retraining was an integral part of the Corps.
Aregbesola disclosed that the committee would be chaired by Prof. Suleiman Mohammed, Vice Chancellor, Nasarawa State University.
According to Aregbesola, the move to develop a standard curriculum showed the capability of NSCDC Commandant General, Abubakar Audi.
Aregbesola commended the CG for carefully selecting credible technocrats for the job.
He noted that the committee, taking into consideration the mandates of the Corps, had a duration of four weeks to complete its assignment and report to the Office of the CG.
The Minister charged the team to review relevant and similar curriculums in other security agencies and make necessary modifications in the NSCDC curriculum.
He said: “Review and assess the current curriculum in Paramilitary, including teaching methods and design: suitable basic training programs for newly recruited personnel at the point of entry.
“Development courses and programmes relative to ranks.
“Ensure emphasis is placed on the holistic capacity development of each cadre of officers.
“Develop appropriate performance evaluation tools including theoretical and practical exercises which should include simulation exercises etc. to ensure successful delivery of the required skills.
“Ensure that the development of the curriculum aligns with target operational needs of the Corps.”
Earlier in his remarks, Audi said that he initiated the process of developing a Standard Curriculum for the training schools in order to develop career progression and development courses, which will form the basis for future progression in the service.
He said: “As a deliberate step towards actualising my vision to reposition the Corps, I set out to upgrade facilities in our existing training colleges.
“Knowing fully well that training is an essential ingredients towards attaining optimal performance, skill acquisition, capacity building and productivity.”
The CG said that he introduced a lot of transformational programmes and reforms based on his vision to rejig, revamp, reactivate, restructure and reposition the Corps for better performance.
He said: “The corps I met on ground had no set standards for measuring performance and career progression in the corps.
“How then can you get the best in such an unstable system where merit was not given due consideration in determining who gets what?
“I, therefore, saw the need to rebuild staff confidence and further boost their morale which was at the lowest.”
The vice chancellor, described his appointment as the head of the committee as an honour, stating that it would not be taken for granted.
Mohammed assured of the committee’s readiness to deliver a curriculum of international standard for the NSCDC that will suit the 21st century.
He added that the composition of the committee has been well constituted taking cognisance of experienced experts who will deliver on the assignment given to them.