ABUJA, Nigeria — Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Dr. Olatunji Alausa, don propose say dem go extend the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme from one year to two years. This announcement come during one meeting with the new NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, for Abuja on Friday. The minister talk say this move go help deepen skill acquisition and create more jobs for young Nigerians.
According to statement wey dey circulate on NYSC official Facebook page, Alausa also highlight the need to expand the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme to equip corps members better with the skills to start their own businesses and contribute significantly to national development.
The minister applauded the NYSC for their recent reforms wey dey aimed at reducing the incidence of graduates presenting fake certificates. “You don do well as an organization,” Alausa commend the agency. “We need to empower young Nigerians to be job creators. Longer service year go allow the SAED programme to work better,” he say.
Dis proposal come after the Federal Government increase the monthly allowance for corps members from ₦33,000 to ₦77,000, wey take effect in March. Dis raise get plenty positive reactions as people dey see am as necessary support for graduates as living costs dey rise.
Nafiu also promise say corps members wey just complete their service go still dey receive the new allowance arrears as the government dey fulfill am’ promise. During one workshop last week, he confirm say dem start to pay the new high allowance since March after President Bola Tinubu sign the minimum wage law.
“The government dey conscious of its promise, and we go handle the arrears according to the budget provisions,” Nafiu talk. “Corps members wey don pass out no go miss out on the arrears.” He add say once dem get the necessary funds, dem go credit the past corps members based on their bank details.
Also, Alausa commended the NYSC for their digital and proactive efforts in the mobilization process. He mention how this don help to tackle the problem of certificate racketeering among foreign-trained graduates in West Africa.
He also talk about the previous challenges faced by Ordinary National Diploma (OND) part-time graduates who don upgrade to full-time Higher National Diploma (HND) and were previously exempted from NYSC. “Efforts dey ongoing for the Ministry to digitize the verification of foreign-trained graduates of Nigerian origin to strengthen the alliance between the Ministry and NYSC for better education,” he said.
Furthermore, Alausa advocate for more graduate teachers to be sent to rural schools, highlighting the need to address the manpower gap in educational institutions located in remote areas.
On him side, Brigadier General Nafiu stress say NYSC dey ready to comply with Federal Government policy guidelines and reform to meet national needs. He also suggest for government to create database wey go track Nigerian youth wey dey study abroad, saying this go help identify fake graduates better.
The Permanent Secretary, Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan, confirmed the Ministry’s readiness to work effectively with NYSC to improve educational standards in the country. “We dey ready to work closely with NYSC to uplift the standard of education for our people,” he concluded.
