FG Moves to Prioritise Skills-Based Learning in Tertiary Institutions
...Targets 80% Practical Training in Agricultural Programmes
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to prioritising skills-based learning in tertiary institutions as part of efforts to develop human capital, improve national productivity, and drive economic growth.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, stated this at a town hall themed “Investing in Nigeria’s Future: Tertiary Education, Human Capital, and National Development,” held in Abuja on Thursday, October 15, 2026.
Alausa, who was represented by the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, noted that the government was committed to making education a strategic investment for human capital development and inclusive economic growth.
He commended the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) for its contributions to public universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education through infrastructure development, research funding, staff training, and institutional capacity building.
The Minister pointed out that TETFund’s interventions in infrastructure, specialised equipment, research, staff development, and digital learning were critical to strengthening Nigeria’s public tertiary education system.
He stressed the need to complement infrastructure development and staff training with appropriate curriculum reforms to achieve the desired transformation in the education sector.
“Infrastructure development, staff training, laboratory equipment, without the necessary and adequate curriculum may not lead to the transformation we want to see,” he said.
Alausa explained that the Federal Ministry of Education had undertaken curriculum reforms through relevant agencies, including the National Universities Commission (NUC), National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), and the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), with funding support from TETFund.
He explained that the reforms are designed to make education more practical, competency-based, and responsive to technological developments, industry needs, and national development priorities.
He identified the review and development of agricultural curricula for tertiary institutions as a major milestone, affirming that the exercise produced 36 new and reviewed National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) curricula, three National Certificate in Education curricula, and one National Occupational Standard comprising 27 newly developed and four reviewed standards.
The Minister disclosed that the government was pursuing a transition from the traditional curriculum model of 70 per cent theory and 30 per cent practical training to 80 per cent practical training and 20 per cent theory in agricultural programmes.
He said that the shift would strengthen hands-on competencies and prepare graduates for modern agriculture, agribusiness, food production, farm management, and agricultural value chain development.
Alausa also announced that the government planned to extend skills-focused curriculum reforms to other programmes in tertiary institutions after completing the current cycle of curriculum reforms.
On access to education, he stated that the Federal Government remained committed to ensuring that financial hardship, disability, and geographical disadvantages did not prevent qualified Nigerians from accessing and completing tertiary education.
He further emphasised the importance of adequate funding, private-sector partnerships, sound financial management, and proper maintenance of facilities to ensure the sustainability of tertiary institutions.
The Minister called for strategic investment, stronger industry partnerships, staff development, and inclusive affordability mechanisms, while reaffirming the Ministry’s readiness to collaborate with TETFund, regulatory agencies, tertiary institutions, state governments, the private sector, and development partners.
He stressed that investment in tertiary education should be regarded as a strategic commitment to Nigeria’s future, adding that collective responsibility and effective resource utilisation were essential to producing competent graduates, generating relevant knowledge, promoting innovation, and strengthening national productivity.
