Alausa Backs 80% Practical Training for Agricultural Education

The Federal Government has approved a major shift towards practical training in agricultural education, with the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, saying 80 per cent of training under the newly reviewed curricula will now focus on hands-on skills.

Alausa said the reform was designed to equip Nigerian youths with practical agricultural skills, strengthen the sector’s workforce and create opportunities for young people to participate more productively in agriculture.

The minister spoke on Thursday in Abuja while receiving the report of the National Implementation Committee on the Review and Development of Agricultural Curricula for Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria.

He said the new model represented a significant departure from the previous 70 per cent theoretical and 30 per cent practical approach, with the revised curricula allocating 80 per cent to practical training and 20 per cent to theory.

Alausa said the change was necessary to ensure that graduates could apply what they learnt beyond the classroom and contribute directly to agricultural production and economic development.

He described the shift as a major step towards transforming agriculture into a more skills-driven sector, adding that the initiative was consistent with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to agricultural advancement and greater youth participation in the sector.

The minister said the reforms would also support the skills development objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda by producing a workforce capable of turning Nigeria’s agricultural potential into productive economic opportunities.

According to him, “The ultimate objective is to ensure that young Nigerians acquire practical skills that can be applied beyond the classroom.”

Alausa, however, stressed that successful implementation would require more than curriculum development, calling for adequate preparation of teachers and institutions before the new programmes are rolled out.

He urged the ministry to sensitise industry players, academics, teachers and other stakeholders to the rationale behind the reforms, while ensuring that institutions receive the necessary support to deliver the practical component effectively.

The Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, commended the committee for its 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 had strengthened the exercise and enriched the development of the new curricula, expressing optimism that the reforms would produce measurable improvements in the agricultural sector.

She also stressed the importance of engaging stakeholders and the wider public on the reforms, particularly the increased emphasis on practical training, to build understanding and support for effective implementation.

Presenting the committee’s report, the Executive Secretary of NBTE, Professor Idris Muhammad Bugaje, disclosed that 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 developed from scratch, while four existing standards were reviewed, expanding the framework for skills development across the agricultural sector.

Bugaje said the assignment had been completed and the resulting documents considered and approved by the relevant regulatory bodies.

He described the outcome as a significant boost to agricultural skills development, adding that the full set of curricula would be formally unveiled at a later public event.

Alausa assured that the Ministry of Education would work with NBTE, tertiary institutions, industry stakeholders and other relevant bodies to ensure that the reviewed curricula were effectively implemented.

He said the focus would remain on equipping young Nigerians with relevant practical skills, strengthening the agricultural workforce and creating pathways for youths to participate meaningfully in the sector.