ABUJA — The Federal Government has approved a new approach to agricultural education in tertiary institutions, under which programmes will be 80 per cent practical and 20 per cent theory. The new ratio replaces the old structure of 70 per cent theory and 30 per cent practical. The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, announced this on Thursday while receiving the report of the National Implementation Committee on the Review and Development of Agricultural Curricula for Tertiary Institutions. He called for full implementation of the new curricula, sensitisation of academics, teachers and industry, training of teachers and provision of resources for institutions. The Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Prof. Idris Muhammad Bugaje, said the exercise produced 36 new or reviewed National Diploma and Higher National Diploma curricula, three Nigeria Certificate in Education curricula and 31 National Occupational Standards, 27 of them new. The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Sa'id Ahmad, commended the committee, NBTE, the Skills Council, industry and academics. Alausa said the ministry would implement the reforms with NBTE, institutions and industry.