NYSC: Education Minister calls for extension of youth service to two years
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has announced that the Federal Ministry of Education is considering extending the mandatory national service duration from one year to two years.
This proposal was made known in a statement released on Saturday by Caroline Embu, the NYSC’s Director of Press and Public Relations.
The disclosure followed Friday’s visit by NYSC Director-General Olakunle Nafiu to the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, in Abuja. The visit is part of ongoing efforts to reform the scheme, address certificate fraud, and strengthen the credibility of the NYSC programme.
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In 2024, a federal probe revealed that around 22,789 Nigerians had submitted counterfeit foreign degree certificates to participate in the NYSC, prompting a nationwide crackdown and reform initiatives to cleanse the system.
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Minister Alausa emphasized the ministry’s current push to digitize the verification of certificates for foreign-trained graduates. He also praised NYSC’s digitization of the mobilization process, which he said has significantly reduced incidents of certificate fraud.
WHY ADVOCATING FOR A TWO-YEAR SERVICE PERIOD
Alausa reportedly advocated for a two-year service period, suggesting it would provide more room to expand the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme. “You’ve done exceptionally well as an organisation. NYSC should give young people greater opportunities to become job creators that cater to national needs,” he remarked during the meeting.
NYSC DG RESPONSE
In response, the NYSC DG reaffirmed the scheme’s dedication to aligning with federal government policies. “We are working to reform the scheme to meet current national demands,” Nafiu said.
He also urged the establishment of a centralized database to monitor Nigerian students traveling abroad for undergraduate studies, noting that such a system would help the government maintain accurate records and curb the issue of fake graduates.
