1. 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

2. 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.
4/14/2019

3. Grading system before abolition of pass degree
Mark
Letter Grade
Grade point
Difference
70-100 A 5 30
60-69 B 4 9
50-59 C 3
45-50 D 2
40-45 E 1
0-39 F 39
4/14/2019

4. Corresponding classes of degree
CGPA)
Class of degree
Difference
First Class
0.5
Second Class upper division
0.99
Second Class Lower Division
1.09
Third Class
0.89
Pass
0.49
<1
Fail
Minimum Good standing CGPA=1.00
4/14/2019

5. Key features of the grading system
A student who passes all his courses must graduate
A Student with the minimum benchmark grades should graduate with the minimum CGPA.
If a student obtains grade E in all courses, he will graduate with the minimum CGPA. That is 1.00
Example. Assume a student who registered 120 units and obtains grade E in all his courses then 𝐶𝐺𝑃𝐴= 120∗1 120 =1.00
4/14/2019

6. Key features of the grading system …
Any student below the minimum benchmark must not be in good standing.
If a student obtains grade E in all his courses except one course in which he obtains grade F, such student will not be in good standing.
Example. Assume a student passes 4 courses of 3 units with E and fails with grade F in one course of 3 units, then
𝐺𝑃𝐴= 4𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠𝑒𝑠∗3𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑠∗1𝑝𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑡 + 1𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠𝑒∗3∗0𝑝𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑡 5𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠𝑒𝑠∗3𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑠 = =0.80
4/14/2019

7. 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.
4/14/2019

8. Adopted Grading system after abolition of pass degree
Percentage Scores
Letter Grade
Grade point
Difference
70-100 A 5 30
60-69 B 4 9
50-59 C 3
45-49 D 2
0-44 F 44
4/14/2019

9. Corresponding classes of degree
CGPA)
Class of degree
Difference
First Class
0.5
Second Class upper division
0.99
Second Class Lower Division
1.09
Third Class
0.89
<1.5
Fail
1.49
Minimum Good standing CGPA=1.50
4/14/2019

10. Some of the problems of this approach
Students with the minimum benchmark grades will not graduate with the minimum CGPA
If a student obtains grade D in all courses, he will not graduate with the minimum CGPA of 1.50
Assume a student registered 120 units and obtains grade D in all his courses then 𝐶𝐺𝑃𝐴= 120∗2 120 =2.00
This violates the fact that such student should have graduated with CGPA 1.5
Some students below the minimum benchmark may still be in good standing.
If a student obtains grade D in all his courses except in one course where he obtains grade F. Such a student will be in good standing.
Assume a student passes 4 courses of 3 units with D and score F in one course of 3 units, then
𝐺𝑃𝐴= 4𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠𝑒𝑠∗3𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑠∗2𝑝𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑠 + 1𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠𝑒∗3∗0𝑝𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑡 5𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠𝑒𝑠∗3𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑠 = =1.60
4/14/2019

11. 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.
4/14/2019

12. Newly Approved NUC grading system: CGPA/4
Percentage Scores
Letter Grade
Grade point
Difference
70-100 A 4 30
60-69 B 3 9
50-59 C 2
45-49 D 1
0-44 F 44
4/14/2019

13. Corresponding classes of degree
CGPA)
Class of degree
Difference
First Class
0.5
Second Class upper division
Second Class Lower Division
0.99
Third Class
<1.00
Fail
Minimum Good standing CGPA=1.00
4/14/2019

14. 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.
4/14/2019

15. ExamsLogic 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.
Pass Degree Allowed :
Students admitted in 100L on or before 2012/2013 and Students admitted in 200L in 2013/2014
Any student with registration number U12_ _1_ _ _ or U13_ _2_ _ _ and below
No pass degree:
Students admitted in 100L in 2013/2014 or later.
Any student with registration number U13_ _1_ _ _
4/14/2019

16. ExamsLogic is Updated to meet these changes
With CGPA being defined over 4, Degree Classification option of ExamsLogic was modified to the following options
No Pass Degree with CGPA over 5
No Pass Degree with CGPA over 4 (U16?)
Pass Degree Allowed.
System performs all others checks once a student is placed in any of the three categories
4/14/2019

17. Reference
Approved Guidelines for Course System and Grade Point Average in Nigerian Universities By National Universities, 2015 Edition
4/14/2019