New Agriculture Curriculum to Boost Skills for Nigerian Youth

On Thursday, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, the Minister of Education, announced the Nigerian government's commitment to advancing agriculture as a skills-based sector through a revised curriculum. This new curriculum, which shifts to 80% practical training and 20% theory, was presented during the report from the committee on the implementation of reviewed agriculture curricula for Polytechnics and Colleges of Education.

Dr. Alausa praised the committee's efforts and emphasized that this change represents a significant improvement from the previous model of 70% theoretical and 30% practical training. He expressed optimism that the new approach would produce a better-trained workforce and enhance agricultural capacity, ultimately contributing to national development.

The Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, also acknowledged the collaborative efforts in developing the new curricula, which includes 36 new and reviewed ND and HND curricula, three NCE curricula, and 31 National Occupational Standards. The initiative aims to ensure young Nigerians acquire practical skills applicable beyond the classroom.