The exclusion of certain polytechnic graduates from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) because of their part-time National Diploma (ND) background has been explicitly addressed by Minister of Education Dr. Olatunji Alausa in a significant policy change.
Speaking Friday at Lagos’ Yaba College of Technology, the minister said that he had approved a memo instructing the NYSC Director-General to organize the impacted graduates.
Alausa’s action comes after graduates of the Higher National Diploma (HND) program became more irate because a recently implemented rule barred them from the one-year required service.
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Under the name Concerned Higher National Diploma (HND) Graduates/Students, the impacted graduates had previously petitioned the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), which then sent a letter to the NYSC requesting a settlement.
During the visit, a group of irate students with placards demanding an end to the exclusion policy met the minister. Speaking to them, he reassured them of his dedication to finding a solution.
Alausa stressed national pride when addressing the students’ worries and advising young Nigerians to abstain from disseminating unfavorable stories about their homeland.
“I also want to share something with you before I address your point.
I want you to be excellent citizens who are patriotic. Many people in your age bracket have negative things to say about our nation. We live in a great nation.
In addition to living overseas, I currently reside in Nigeria. Nigeria is an amazing nation. We ought to be pleased with our nation. I want you to stop trash-talking about our nation and spread that word to your fellow Nigerians and coworkers.
Regarding your full-time HND and part-time ND, as well as the fact that you are not permitted to perform youth service, I can assure you that I am completely aware of and monitoring the situation.
Both I and the Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) are present. You shouldn’t be prohibited from performing youth service, in my opinion.
“at two more weeks, I would like to meet with the NYSC Director General at my office. “This will be resolved, I promise you,” Alausa said.
The Minister reiterated his pledge, revealing that he had formally authorized a document to the NYSC leadership to guarantee that impacted graduates will be included in future mobilizations.
“There is no justification for denying you the opportunity to serve,” he stated. The National Board for Technical Education’s Executive Secretary wrote to me. To motivate you all for service, I have given my approval to a document sent to the NYSC DG.
In the upcoming two weeks, I have also planned a meeting with the NYSC DG. You must have permission to serve.
The impacted graduates have also contacted the National Assembly, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, and Senate President Godswill Akpabio in an attempt to secure legislative action to guarantee their admission in the upcoming NYSC batch, Batch A, Stream 1, 2025.
