Jane Salihu
The Federal Government has introduced an 80 per cent practical training model in agricultural education, alongside 39 reviewed and newly developed curricula, to equip Nigerian students with industry-ready skills, promote agribusiness and tackle food insecurity.
The Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, announced the reform on Monday in Abuja during the unveiling of the curricula and 31 National Occupational Standards, explaining that the initiative was designed to bridge the gap between classroom learning and the practical demands of the agricultural sector.
Under the new model, students will devote 80 per cent of their training to practical activities and 20 per cent to theoretical learning, with teaching farms, greenhouses, processing facilities and agricultural technology hubs serving as key training centres.
Alausa said the curricula were developed through collaboration among the Federal Ministries of Education, Agriculture and Food Security, and Livestock Development, alongside regulatory agencies, educational institutions, curriculum experts and industry stakeholders.
He explained that the 39 curricula comprise 32 reviewed programmes and seven newly developed ones, while the 31 occupational standards cover National Diploma, Higher National Diploma and corresponding Nigeria Certificate in Education agricultural programmes.
The Minister said the programmes incorporate emerging areas such as precision agriculture, climate-smart agriculture, artificial insemination and agribusiness to prepare graduates for modern agricultural practices and encourage entrepreneurship.
He added that the success of the reform would be measured by graduates’ practical competence, improved agricultural output, increased employment opportunities and contributions to national food security.
Also speaking, the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, said practical agricultural education was essential to unlocking Nigeria’s potential in livestock production, food processing and international trade.
Maiha cited the Middle East red meat market, valued at approximately 3.2 billion dollars, as an opportunity Nigeria could better explore with improved technical expertise and a well-organised livestock sector.
He urged tertiary institutions to establish functional farms, adopt digital and climate-smart agricultural practices, and improve access to skills, technology, finance and markets.
The minister also stressed that functional practical training facilities should be central to institutional accreditation to ensure graduates acquire the competencies required by employers and the agricultural industry.
Earlier, the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Said Ahmad, described the initiative as a milestone in repositioning Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to meet labour-market demands.
She called on regulatory agencies, educational institutions and industry partners to support implementation through qualified instructors, adequate equipment, functional workshops and continuous professional development.
Ahmad also advocated stronger partnerships between schools and industry to expand apprenticeships, industrial attachments and workplace learning, with particular attention to women, persons with disabilities and young people from underserved communities.
The reform forms part of the Federal Government’s efforts to strengthen technical education, create employment opportunities for young Nigerians and advance President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
