Review of Course System and Grade Point Average

Review of Course System and Grade Point Average in Nigerian Universities: From CGPA over 5 to CGPA over 4. By A. F. Donfack Kana Department of Computer Science Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

Course Credit System • Quantitative system of organization of the curriculum in which subject areas are broken down into unit courses which are examinable and for which students earn credit(s) if passed. • The courses are arranged in progressive order of difficulty or in levels of academic progress • Courses are assigned weights based on the level of efforts to be put on the course. 11/9/2020 2

Grading system before abolition of pass degree Mark 70 -100 60 -69 50 -59 45 -50 40 -45 0 -39 11/9/2020 Letter Grade point Difference A 5 30 B 4 9 C 3 9 D 2 4 E 1 4 F 0 39 3

Corresponding classes of degree CGPA) Class of degree Difference 4. 50 -5. 00 3. 50 -4. 49 2. 40 -3. 49 1. 50 -2. 39 1. 00 -1. 49 <1 First Class Second Class upper division Second Class Lower Division Third Class Pass Fail 0. 5 0. 99 1. 09 0. 89 0. 49 0. 99 Minimum Good standing CGPA=1. 00 11/9/2020 4

Key features of the grading system • 11/9/2020 5

Key features of the grading system … • 11/9/2020 6

Key features of the grading system … • Because course credit system is a quantitative measure, GPA must follow a metric principle. • A student who obtained grades B and D in two courses of the same units is equivalent to a student who obtained grades C and C in same courses in terms of GPA. • A student who obtains grades D and F in two courses of the same units is equivalent to a student who obtains grades E and E in the same courses in terms of GPA. 11/9/2020 7

Adopted Grading system after abolition of pass degree Percentage Scores 70 -100 60 -69 50 -59 45 -49 0 -44 11/9/2020 Letter Grade A B C D F Grade point 5 4 3 2 0 Difference 30 9 9 4 44 8

Corresponding classes of degree CGPA) Class of degree Difference 4. 50 -5. 00 3. 50 -4. 49 2. 40 -3. 49 1. 50 -2. 39 <1. 5 First Class Second Class upper division Second Class Lower Division Third Class Fail 0. 5 0. 99 1. 09 0. 89 1. 49 Minimum Good standing CGPA=1. 50 11/9/2020 9

Some of the problems of this approach • 11/9/2020 10

Some of the problems of this approach… • GPA is no longer a perfect metric. • A student who obtains grades A and C in two courses of three units is equivalent to a student who obtains grades B and B in same courses in term of GPA. • A student who obtains grades C and F in two courses of the same units is not equivalent to a student who obtains grades D and D in the same courses in terms of GPA. 11/9/2020 11

Newly Approved NUC grading system: CGPA/4 Percentage Scores 70 -100 60 -69 50 -59 45 -49 0 -44 11/9/2020 Letter Grade A B C D F Grade point 4 3 2 1 0 Difference 30 9 9 4 44 12

Corresponding classes of degree CGPA) Class of degree Difference 3. 50 -4. 00 3. 00 -3. 49 2. 0 -2. 99 1. 00 -1. 99 <1. 00 First Class Second Class upper division Second Class Lower Division Third Class Fail 0. 5 0. 99 Minimum Good standing CGPA=1. 00 11/9/2020 13

Advantage of the credit system with CGPA over 4. • Students with the minimum benchmark graduate with the minimum CGPA • If a student obtains grade D in all courses, he will graduate with the minimum CGPA. That is 1. 00 • All students below the minimum benchmark are not in good standing. • GPA is metric again. • A student who obtains grades C and F in two courses of three units is equivalent to a student who obtains grades D and D in the same courses in terms of GPA. 11/9/2020 14

Exams. Logic is Updated to meet these changes • Efficiently handle all these three categories of classification with minimal efforts from Exams officers • New functionality was introduced in Exams Logic called Degree Classification • No Pass Degree • Pass Degree Allowed : • Students admitted in 100 L on or before 2012/2013 and Students admitted in 200 L in 2013/2014 • Any student with registration number U 12_ _1_ _ _ or U 13_ _2_ _ _ and below • No pass degree: • Students admitted in 100 L in 2013/2014 or later. • Any student with registration number U 13_ _1_ _ _ 11/9/2020 15

Exams. Logic is Updated to meet these changes • With CGPA being defined over 4, Degree Classification option of Exams. Logic was modified to the following options • No Pass Degree with CGPA over 5 • No Pass Degree with CGPA over 4 (U 16? ) • Pass Degree Allowed. • System performs all others checks once a student is placed in any of the three categories 11/9/2020 16

Reference Approved Guidelines for Course System and Grade Point Average in Nigerian Universities By National Universities, 2015 Edition 11/9/2020 17