By Njoku Chijioke
The Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, has called for the extension of the National Youth Service Corps scheme from one year to two years, in a bold move aimed at deepening youth empowerment across the country.
Speaking on Friday during a courtesy visit by the new NYSC Director General, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, to his office in Abuja, Dr. Alausa argued that the proposed extension would strengthen the scheme’s Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme, better equipping young Nigerians to become self-reliant job creators.
“You have done so well as an organization,” the minister remarked. “Let NYSC give people more opportunity to become job creators that will meet the needs of the country.”
Dr. Alausa further lauded the NYSC for digitising its operations, a shift he noted has curbed certificate fraud, especially among foreign-trained graduates from West Africa.
He also addressed the lingering controversy surrounding part-time OND holders who transition to full-time HND qualifications but are currently exempt from national service.
In his response, Brigadier General Nafiu applauded the minister’s strides in the education sector and advocated for the establishment of a national database to track Nigerian students abroad.
According to him, such a system would help verify qualifications and eliminate academic fraud.
The proposal has sparked fresh debate over the future of the NYSC, a scheme that has become a rite of passage for Nigerian graduates since its inception.
