By Sani Idris Abdulrahman
The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has called for stronger practical training in agricultural institutions to equip students with industry-relevant skills.
The Executive Secretary of NBTE, Prof. Idris Bugaje, made the call while declaring open a North-West zonal Train-the-Trainer (ToT) workshop at Malam Alu Agro-Allied Farms Ltd., Birnin Kudu, Jigawa State.
The workshop, organised by NBTE in collaboration with the Sector Skills Council for Agriculture (SSC4A), focuses on implementing reviewed and developed agricultural curricula and National Occupational Standards in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions.
Speaking at the event on Oct. 12, Bugaje stressed the importance of equipping technical education instructors with the competencies needed to deliver practical, industry-oriented agricultural training.
He said stronger collaboration between educational institutions and agricultural enterprises would help bridge the gap between classroom learning and workplace requirements.
The Executive Secretary formally declared the North-West zonal workshop open, urging participants to maximise the training opportunity to improve agricultural skills development.
The General Manager of Malam Alu Agro-Allied Ltd., Mrs Zarah Aliyu, called for closer collaboration between agricultural businesses and technical institutions to strengthen practical learning.
Aliyu said exposing instructors and trainees to real farm operations would help them understand modern agricultural practices and the skills required to improve productivity.
She stressed the importance of linking agricultural education with the realities of commercial farming to prepare trainees for employment and entrepreneurship in the sector.
Dr Ademu Idris, representing the Chairman of SSC4A, said occupational standards were important in ensuring that agricultural training reflected the competencies required by employers and industry operators.
He emphasised the need for technical institutions to adopt the reviewed agricultural curricula and standards to improve the quality and relevance of training offered to students.
Idris said collaboration among industry stakeholders, training institutions and relevant authorities was essential to developing a skilled workforce capable of supporting agricultural growth.
The Director of Curriculum Development Department at NBTE, Dr O.O. Bello, urged participants to ensure that the reviewed agricultural curricula were effectively translated into teaching and practical learning activities.
Bello said curriculum implementation should go beyond classroom instruction to include hands-on experience that enables trainees to acquire the technical competencies required in the agricultural sector.
He stressed that instructors needed to understand the revised curricula and occupational standards to ensure consistency in training delivery across relevant TVET institutions.
Dr Kubura Jauro, Director of Strategic Planning and Partnership and Coordinator/Secretary of the Implementation Committee, emphasised the importance of effective coordination and partnerships in implementing the workshop’s objectives.
Jauro said collaboration among NBTE, SSC4A, technical institutions and agricultural enterprises would support the adoption of industry-based training approaches.
She urged stakeholders to sustain the partnerships beyond the workshop to ensure that the knowledge gained translated into improved teaching practices and stronger agricultural skills development.
Ibrahim Abiodun Akonbi, representing the North-West Zonal Director, called for active participation by institutions in the region to strengthen the implementation of the reviewed curricula and occupational standards.
Akonbi said training instructors was essential to improving the quality of agricultural education and ensuring that students acquired practical competencies relevant to the workplace.
He urged participants to apply the knowledge gained during the workshop in their respective institutions to promote effective teaching and learning.
The workshop, scheduled for Oct 11th to Oct 18th 2026, is holding at Jigawa State school of nursing sciences Birnin Kudu, and and Malam Alu Agro-Allied Farms Ltd., Birnin Kudu.
It is designed to strengthen the capacity of trainers from relevant TVET institutions to implement updated agricultural curricula and National Occupational Standards through practical, industry-based training.
The initiative also aims to strengthen the relationship between technical education and the agricultural industry, ensuring that training responds to the sector’s workforce needs.
