The Federal Government has reviewed agricultural curricula for tertiary institutions to increase practical training and equip Nigerian youths with job-ready skills for the agricultural sector.
Maruf Tunji Alausa, Minister of Education, disclosed this on Thursday while receiving the report of the National Implementation Committee on the Review and Development of Agricultural Curricula for Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria.
According to a statement signed by Ikharo Attah, Special Adviser to the Minister on Media and Communications, the reviewed curricula will shift agricultural education from the previous 70 percent theoretical and 30 percent practical model to 80 percent practical training and 20 percent theory.
Alausa said the reform was part of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s efforts to reposition agriculture as a skills-based sector capable of creating productive opportunities for young Nigerians.
He said the increased practical component would give students hands-on experience and enable them to apply their knowledge beyond the classroom.
“The shift to 80 per cent practical training is a major step towards equipping Nigerian youths with relevant skills and advancing the economic objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda,” the minister said.
He expressed optimism that the new approach would produce a better-trained workforce, strengthen capacity across the agricultural sector and translate education into productive economic activity.
Alausa also called for a comprehensive rollout of the revised curricula, stressing the need to sensitise industry players, academics, teachers and other stakeholders on the rationale behind the reforms.
He said adequate teacher training and institutional support would be critical to ensuring that the new practical-oriented curricula are effectively implemented.
Speaking earlier, Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, Minister of State for Education, commended members of the implementation committee for their work and acknowledged the contributions of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), the Skills Council, industry representatives and academics to the review process.
Ahmad said the collaboration among stakeholders had strengthened the exercise and contributed to the development of curricula that could respond more effectively to the needs of the agricultural sector.
She called for sustained engagement with stakeholders and the public to improve understanding and acceptance of the reforms, particularly the increased emphasis on practical training.
Presenting the report, Idris Muhammad Bugaje, Executive Secretary of NBTE, said the exercise produced 36 new and reviewed National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) curricula, three National Certificate in Education (NCE) curricula and 31 National Occupational Standards.
He said 27 of the occupational standards were newly developed, while four existing standards were reviewed, expanding the framework for skills development in agriculture.
Bugaje said the assignment had been completed and that the resulting documents had been considered and approved by the relevant regulatory bodies.
He described the outcome as a significant boost to agricultural skills development, adding that the complete set of curricula would be formally presented at a later public event.
Alausa assured that the Ministry of Education would work with NBTE, tertiary institutions, industry and other stakeholders to ensure effective implementation of the revised curricula.
He said the government’s focus remained on equipping young Nigerians with practical skills, strengthening the agricultural workforce and transforming the country’s agricultural potential into productive opportunities.
The minister said the reform was consistent with the administration’s broader objective of using education and skills development to support economic growth and employment under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
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