Nigerian govt proposes extension of NYSC scheme to 2 years for skills development

The Nigerian government has proposed extending the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme from one year to two years, with a focus on enhancing skills development and boosting youth employment.

The proposal aims to expand the NYSC’s Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme, offering corps members more time to acquire hands-on skills that will aid in job creation and contribute to the country’s economic growth.

The proposal was unveiled during a courtesy visit by the NYSC’s Director General, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, to the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, in Abuja. A statement about the meeting was released by Caroline Embu, the Acting Director of Information and Public Relations at the NYSC.

“You have done so well as an organisation. Let NYSC give people more opportunity to become job creators that will meet the needs of the country,” the Minister remarked.

Dr. Alausa also acknowledged the NYSC’s innovative and digitalised approach to the mobilization process, which has helped tackle certificate fraud involving foreign-trained graduates across West Africa. He commended the Scheme for resolving the issue of Ordinary National Diploma (OND) part-time graduates who earned full-time Higher National Diplomas (HND) but had previously been exempted from national service.

“Efforts are ongoing in the Ministry to digitise the verification of foreign-trained graduates of Nigerian origin,” he added, emphasizing the ongoing collaboration between the Ministry and the NYSC to advance education and national progress. Additionally, Dr. Alausa advocated for increasing the deployment of graduate teachers to rural areas to address staffing shortages in schools.

Earlier, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu reiterated the NYSC’s dedication to aligning with national reforms and policies.

“NYSC is ready to comply with policy guidelines as directed by the Federal Government. We are also trying to reform the Scheme to conform with the present national needs,” he stated.

Nafiu also called for the establishment of a comprehensive database to track Nigerian students abroad. He explained, “This would help the government and stakeholders in the education sector to have detailed records of Nigerian students abroad and eliminate fake graduates.”

The Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mr. Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan, assured continued support for the NYSC’s initiatives, stating, “We are ready to work with NYSC more effectively towards uplifting the standard of education in the country.”