The proposed exclusion of Higher National Diploma graduates from the National Youth Service Corps program has been met with intense resistance.
Registration for the second stream of the Batch C mobilization opened on Monday, January 6, coinciding with this protest.
Holding signs that read “Say No To Discrimination in NYSC” and “Equal Rights for All,” the impacted graduates assembled at the NYSC secretariat in Lagos early on Monday morning to demand that they be included in the NYSC mobilization process.
Speaking on behalf of the graduates, Majaro Temitope, who finished his HND program at Yaba College of Technology, voiced his worries about the proposed exclusion.
Since many of them had put a lot of effort into switching from part-time ND programs to full-time HND programs, he characterized the regulation as discriminatory.
“A lot of us here worked part-time at ND before moving to full-time HND. Despite the difficulties we encountered during our ND years, we were not informed that there is a policy that will prevent us from serving,” he stated.
Temitope added that they had sent letters requesting action to the appropriate authorities but had not heard back. He urged the NYSC Director-General and the Minister of Education to speak out on the matter.
Regarding this issue, we have previously written to JAMB and the Director-General. Considering that registration has already begun and we have not yet registered, we fervently hope that the Federal Government and Ministry of Education would examine this unjust policy,” he was said.
According to Adebola Osunfunrewa, a spokesman of the Education Rights Campaign, the policy is a consequence of the decline in Nigeria’s educational system.
This policy is yet another indication of the breakdown of Nigeria’s educational system. In a nation that is severely lacking teachers, how can more than 3,000 youngsters be pleading to serve?” he said.
The Lagos NYSC Coordinator, who was represented by Assistant Director Ehimuenma Itohan, responded to the demonstrators by assuring the graduates that the Director-General at the national headquarters had been notified of their concerns.
Itohan reassured them that the situation was being handled seriously and asked them to maintain their composure.
“We have taken note of your objection and forwarded your complaint to NYSC’s top management level. As a father figure who genuinely cares about the issues facing young people, the Director-General would take into account all relevant factors while adhering to current regulations and policies, Itohan promised.