Our Computer Science programme is 100% practical oriented. It is aimed at ensuring that our students can compete with their counterpart and standout in the labour market.
1.1 Objective of the programme
Diplomats of this programme should be able to:-
1. Solve simple hardware problems
2. Use various programming languages:
Visual Basic
OO Fortan
OO Cobol, and
Java
3. Know the Operation of Computer systems
4. Use Computer packages
5. Maintain hardware
The entry requirements into National Diploma Computer Science programme are as follows:-
a) Five credit level passes in GCE "O" level or Senior Secondary School Certificate (SSCE) at not more than two sittings
The five subjects must include mathematics, Physics, English language and any other subject.
b) Five credit passes in an NBTE recognized preliminary National Diploma course offered in a Polytechnic or similar post secondary technical institution. The credit passes must include mathematics, physics, English language and any other subject
c) A pass in Computer Foundation Examination (CFE) of Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN). The student must be prima fascia qualified as in above.
I. General studies/education
II. Foundation courses
III. Professional courses
IV. Supervised Industrial work experience scheme (SIWES)
3.2 The General Education component shall include course in
English Language
Communication
Mathematics
Citizenship (the Nigerian Constitution), Sociology
Entrepreneurship
3.3 The General Education component shall account for not more than 15% of total contact hours for the programme.
3.4 Foundation Courses include courses in Mathematics, and Statistics etc. The number of hours will vary with the programmes and may account for about 10 -15% of the total contact hours.
3.5 Professional Courses are courses, which give the student the theory and practical skills he needs to practice his field of calling at the technical/technologists level.
3.6 Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) shall be taken during the long vacation following the end of the second semester of the first year. See details of SIWES at paragraph 8.0.
The structure of the programme courses of four semesters of classroom, laboratory and workshop activities in the college - and a period (3-4 months) of supervised industrial work experience scheme (SIWES). Each semester shall have 17 weeks duration made up as follows:-
15 contact weeks of teaching, i.e. recitation, practical exercises, quizzes, test, etc; and
2 weeks for examinations and registration. SIWES shall take place at the end of the second semester of the first year.
Each programme offered either at the ND or HND level shall be accredited by the NBTE before the diplomats can be awarded either of the two diploma certificates. Details about the process of accredit ting a programme for the award of the ND or HND are available from the Executive Secretary, National Board for Technical Education, P. M. B. 2239, Kaduna, Nigeria.
Institutions offering accredited programmes will award the National Diploma to candidates who successfully completed the programme after passing prescribed coursework, examinations, diploma project and the supervised industrial work experience. Such candidates should have completed a minimum of between 72
and 80 semester credit units depending on the programme.
Diplomas shall be classified as follows:-
Distinction - GPA of 3.50 and above
Upper Credit - GPA of 3.00 - 3.49
Lower Credit - GPA of 2.50 - 2.99
Pass - GPA of 2.00 - 2.49
7.1 The new curriculum is drawn in unit courses. This is in keeping with the provisions of the National Policy on Education which stress the need to introduce the semester credit units which will enable a student who so wish to transfer the units already completed in an institution of similar standard from which he is transferring.
7.2 In designing the units, the principle of the modular system by product has been adopted; thus making each of the professional modules, when completed provides the student with technician operative skills, which can be used for employment purposes.
7.3 As the success of the credit unit system depends on the articulation of programmes between the institutions and industry, the curriculum content has been written in behavioural objectives, so that it is clear to all the expected performance of the student who successfully completed some of the courses or the
diplomats of the programme. There is a slight departure in the presentation of the performance based curriculum which requires the conditions under which the performance are expected to be carried out and the criteria for the acceptable levels of performance. It is a deliberate attempt to further involve the staff of the
department teaching the programme to write their own curriculum stating the conditions existing in their institution under which the performance can take place and to follow that with the criteria for determining an acceptable level of performance. The Academic Board of the institution may vet departmental submission on
the final curriculum. Our aim is to continue to see to it that a solid internal evaluation system exists in each institution for ensuring minimum standard and quality of education in the programmes offered throughout the polytechnic system.
7.4 The teaching of the theory and practical work should, as much as possible, be integrated. Practical exercises, especially those in professional courses and laboratory work should not be taught in isolation from the theory. For each course, there should be a balance of theory to practice in the ratio of about 40:60.
8.1 For the smooth operation of the SIWES, the following guidelines shall apply:
Responsibility for placement of Students
a. Institutions offering the ND programme shall arrange to place the students in industry. By April 30 of each year, six copies of the master list showing where each student has been placed shall be submitted to the Executive Secretary, NBTE which shall, in turn, authenticate the list and forward it to the industrial Training Fund, Jos
b. The Placement officers should discuss and agree with industries on the following:
I. A task inventory of what the students should be expected to experience during the period of attachment. It may be wise to adopt the one already approved for each field.
II. The industry-based supervisor of the students during the period, likewise the institution based supervisor.
III. The evaluation of the student during the period. It should be noted that the final grading of the student during the period of attachment should be weighted more on the evaluation by his industry-based supervisor.
8.2 Evaluation of Students during the SIWES
In the evaluation of the student, cognizance should be taken of the following items:
a) Punctuality
b) Attendance
c) General attitude to work
d) Respect for authority
e) Interest in the field/technical area
f) Technical competence as a potential technician in his field.
8.3 Grading of SIWES
To ensure uniformity of grading scales, the institution should ensure that the uniform grading of students' work which has been agreed to by all polytechnics is adopted.
8.4 The Institution based Supervisor
The institution-based supervisor should initial the log book during each visit. This will enable him to check and determine to what extent the objectives of the scheme are being met and to assist students having any problems regarding the specific given to them by their industrybased supervisor.
8.5 Frequency of visit
Institution should ensure that students placed on attachment are visited within one month of their placement. Other visits shall be arranged so that:
I. There is another visit six weeks after the first visit; and
II. A final visit in the last month of the attachment.
8.6 Stipend for Students in SIWES
The rate of stipend payable shall be determined from time to time by the Federal Government after due consultation with the Federal Ministry of Education, the Industrial Training Fund and the NBTE.
8.7 SIWES As a component of the Curriculum
The completion of SIWES is important in the final determination of whether the student is successful in the programme or not. Failure in the SIWES is an indication that the student has not shown sufficient interest in the field or has no potential to become a skilled technician in his field. The SIWES should be graded on a fail or pass basis. Where a student has satisfied all other requirements but failed SIWES, he may only be allowed to repeat another four months SIWES at his own expense.
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