Nigeria's Education Minister Proposes 2 Years National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) program

 

In a move that could significantly reshape Nigeria’s education and national development landscape, the Minister of Education, Olatunji Alausa, recently proposed an extension of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) program from its current one-year duration to two years. The suggestion, unveiled during a courtesy visit by the Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, to Alausa's office in Abuja, is aimed at addressing key issues within the Nigerian education system while empowering the nation’s youth for greater societal contributions.

The proposal, which Alausa made public on Friday, comes at a time when the country is grappling with a need for more robust skill development programs and greater engagement in rural education. The Minister highlighted that by doubling the length of the mandatory national service, corps members would have an extended opportunity to contribute meaningfully to national development while gaining further skills that would serve them well in the job market.

“The call for the extension of the national service program from one year to two years is an essential step towards building a more skilled and impactful youth force,” Alausa said during his meeting with Brigadier General Nafiu. His remarks, posted on the official Facebook page of the NYSC, underscored the importance of not just lengthening the service but also enhancing the program's existing content.

One of the critical areas Alausa emphasized was the expansion of the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) Training Programme for corps members. The current program, which provides young Nigerians with the tools to create jobs for themselves and others, is seen as an essential part of the NYSC initiative. The Minister called for a more comprehensive curriculum that would equip corps members with practical, marketable skills and an entrepreneurial mindset, in alignment with national development goals.

In addition to the NYSC’s Skill Acquisition Program, Alausa made a bold call for the increased deployment of graduate teachers to rural areas to fill the glaring manpower gaps in schools. This request is particularly relevant in a country where educational disparity between urban and rural communities remains a significant issue. The Minister’s call highlights his ongoing efforts to address these gaps, particularly in the face of Nigeria’s growing youth population, many of whom remain undereducated or underemployed.

Another major point raised during the meeting was the commendable efforts made by the NYSC to digitize its operations, particularly concerning the mobilization of corps members and the battle against certificate racketeering. Alausa praised the NYSC’s leadership for its proactive stance in utilizing digital tools to curb fraudulent activities, especially within the West African sub-region, where some foreign-trained Nigerian graduates have faced difficulties with certification.

The Ministry of Education is also currently focusing on modernizing the verification process for Nigerian students who study abroad. According to Alausa, this digital push is aimed at ensuring that only qualified individuals are allowed to serve in the NYSC, ensuring the integrity of the program and the educational system as a whole.

In a further display of collaboration, the Minister acknowledged the resolution of the long-standing issue regarding the National Diploma (ND) part-time graduates and full-time Higher National Diploma (HND) holders, who were previously exempted from participating in the NYSC scheme. This solution was a significant step toward inclusivity and fairness in the national service program.

“The NYSC has done so well as an organization, and it’s time to give more opportunities to our youth to become job creators, to truly contribute to the growth and development of Nigeria,” Alausa remarked. His comments resonated with the broader goal of fostering a generation of Nigerian youths who are self-reliant and capable of meeting the country’s diverse needs.

For his part, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu echoed the Minister’s sentiments and expressed the NYSC’s readiness to align its policies with those set by the Federal Government. He also advocated for the establishment of a national database for Nigerian students studying abroad, which he believed would be instrumental in identifying counterfeit degrees and ensuring the credibility of Nigeria’s educational system.

The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan, also lent his voice to the ongoing reforms, assuring the NYSC leadership that the Ministry was ready to work more closely with the scheme in order to uplift the educational standards of the country.

As Nigeria continues to grapple with educational and economic challenges, these discussions reflect a new wave of thinking that emphasizes the role of youth empowerment, skill acquisition, and education reform. Whether or not the proposal for a two-year national service will be implemented remains to be seen, but the dialogue signals a potential shift towards more robust, hands-on approaches to education and youth engagement in Nigeria’s future.