••Move aims to deepen skills acquisition, expand entrepreneurship program for corps members to boost youth employment.
In a bid to combat youth unemployment and enhance skills development, the Nigerian government has proposed extending the duration of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme from the current one year to two years.
This initiative includes a significant expansion of the NYSC’s Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme, designed to equip corps members with practical, in-demand skills to foster job creation and contribute to national development.
The proposal was revealed during a courtesy visit by the NYSC Director General, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, to the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, in Abuja.
According to a statement released by Caroline Embu, Acting Director of Information and Public Relations at the NYSC, the Minister of Education lauded the NYSC’s efforts, stating, “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.”
Dr. Alausa also commended the NYSC for its proactive and digitalized approach to the mobilization process, which he noted has been instrumental in addressing certificate forgery involving some foreign-trained graduates in the West African region. He further praised the scheme for resolving the long-standing issue concerning part-time Ordinary National Diploma (OND) graduates who later obtained full-time Higher National Diploma (HND) qualifications but were previously excluded from national service.
The Minister also advocated for the increased deployment of graduate teachers to rural schools to address manpower shortages.
Earlier in the meeting, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu reiterated the NYSC’s commitment to aligning with national policies and reforms, stating, “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 also urged the government to establish a comprehensive database of Nigerian youths studying abroad to help track graduates and curb the issue of fake credentials.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan, affirmed the Ministry’s dedication to closer collaboration with the NYSC to elevate the standard of education in the country.
