The Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, has proposed extending the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme from one year to two years, as part of efforts to better prepare Nigerian graduates for nation-building.
Dr. Alausa made the suggestion during a courtesy visit by the NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, in Abuja, according to a statement published on NYSC’s official Facebook page.
He also called for a comprehensive review and expansion of the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme, emphasizing that a richer training experience would empower Nigerian youths to become self-reliant and job creators.
“You have done so well as an organisation. Let NYSC give people more opportunities to become job creators that will meet the needs of the country,” the Minister stated.
Dr. Alausa further recommended the strategic deployment of graduate teachers to rural schools to tackle teacher shortages and reduce the educational gap in underserved communities.
He commended the NYSC for its strides in digitalising the mobilisation process and its efforts to combat certificate racketeering, particularly among foreign-trained graduates from West Africa. He also praised the scheme for resolving issues affecting OND part-time graduates who transition to full-time HND programmes and were previously exempted from national service.
Highlighting ongoing reforms, the Minister revealed that the Ministry is working to digitise the verification process for foreign-trained Nigerian graduates and pledged continued collaboration with NYSC to strengthen the education sector.
In his response, Brigadier General Nafiu praised the Ministry’s ongoing reforms and advocated for the creation of a database to track Nigerian students abroad, aiming to curb the circulation of fake academic credentials. He assured that the NYSC is ready to implement policies that align with national development goals.
Also speaking at the event, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, Mr. Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan, reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to deepening its partnership with NYSC to raise educational standards across the country.
