The National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC) is repositioning school agriculture as a key tool for skill acquisition, food security, and youth empowerment.
The Executive Secretary of NSSEC, Dr Iyela Ajayi made this statement on Monday in Abuja during a one-day sensitisation and strategy workshop for agricultural science officers under the “Grow What You Eat” initiative.
Ajayi explained that the program aligns senior secondary education with national priorities on practical skills, entrepreneurship, and self-sufficiency.
He said the initiative aims to transform school gardens into practical learning spaces where students gain agricultural knowledge, business skills, and environmental consciousness.
“Grow What You Eat is a bold response to these national priorities. It is a strategy to transform school gardens into living classrooms, where students learn not only agriculture but also business acumen, hard work, and self-sufficiency,” he said.
Ajayi announced that the official launch of the program will take place on June 26 at Government Girls Secondary School, Dutse-Alhaji, Abuja.
Mr Mohammed Salihu, Director of Teachers Development and International Partnership at NSSEC, emphasized that the workshop is part of efforts to put education policy into practice.
He said the initiative is designed to embed sustainability, self-reliance, and practical life skills into the senior secondary education framework.
“It prepares our students not just for exams, but for life, work, and financial independence,” he said.
A facilitator and lecturer at the Federal College of Education, Katsina, Dr Oscar Ikwankwan urged participants to adopt clear implementation strategies and standard guidelines to ensure nationwide impact.
He added that the program targets students in SS1 to SS3, aged 15 to 18, and aims to foster interest in agriculture, entrepreneurship, and sustainable farming.
Participants at the workshop included agricultural science desk officers from 18 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)—covering FCT, Katsina, Borno, Taraba, Abia, Imo, Anambra, Kogi, Nasarawa, Gombe, Kano, Zamfara, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Edo, and Rivers.
These desk officers will coordinate implementation of the initiative in their respective locations.
