FG overhauls agric curricula, shifts focus to 80 per cent practical training
By Uji A Iliyasu, Abuja
The Federal Government has approved a major overhaul of agricultural education curricula for tertiary institutions, shifting the training model from 70 per cent theory and 30 per cent practical to 80 per cent practical and 20 per cent theoretical instruction.
The Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, announced the reform while receiving the report of the National Implementation Committee on the Review and Development of Agricultural Curricula for Tertiary Institutions, in a statement issued on Thursday by his Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Ikharo Attah.
Alausa said the reviewed curricula formed part of President Bola Tinubu’s drive to reposition agriculture as a skills-driven sector, and would give learners hands-on experience in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.
He described the shift towards practical training as a major step towards producing a better-equipped agricultural workforce, saying the new approach would ensure young Nigerians acquired competencies they could apply beyond the classroom and deploy across agriculture and related value chains.
The Minister expressed confidence that the reform would strengthen sectoral capacity, raise the quality of training and translate education into productive economic activity. He nonetheless called for a comprehensive rollout of the new curricula, stressing the need to sensitise industry players, academics, teachers and other stakeholders on the rationale behind the changes.
He also underlined the importance of training teachers and equipping institutions with the resources required for effective implementation.
The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, commended the committee for its work and acknowledged contributions from the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), the Skills Council, industry representatives and academics.
She said the collaboration had strengthened the review process and enriched the resulting curricula, and called for sustained engagement with stakeholders and the public, particularly around the greater emphasis on practical training, to build understanding and support for implementation.
Presenting the report on behalf of the committee, the Executive Secretary of NBTE, Prof. Idris Muhammad Bugaje, said the exercise had produced 36 new and reviewed National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) curricula, three Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) curricula, and 31 National Occupational Standards.
He explained that 27 of the occupational standards had been developed from scratch, while four existing standards were reviewed, significantly expanding the framework for agricultural skills development.
Bugaje said the assignment had been completed, with the resulting documents considered and approved by the relevant regulatory bodies, including the Board and Commission.
He added that the full set of curricula would be formally unveiled at a later public event.
Alausa assured that the Ministry would work with NBTE, tertiary institutions, industry stakeholders and other relevant bodies to ensure the reviewed curricula were effectively implemented.
He said government’s focus remained on equipping young Nigerians with practical skills, strengthening the agricultural sector, and converting the country’s agricultural potential into productive economic opportunities in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.