The Minister of Education, Dr. Olatunji Alausa, has called for an extension of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme from one year to two years to enhance the programme’s impact on youth employment and national development.
Speaking in Abuja on Saturday during a courtesy visit by the NYSC Director General, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, Alausa proposed the extension as part of an expanded Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) initiative under the scheme.
“You have done so well as an organization. Let NYSC give people more opportunity to become job creators that will meet the needs of the country,” he said, according to NYSC spokesperson, Caroline Embu.
The minister also praised recent reforms that resolved the long-standing issue concerning part-time OND graduates with full-time HNDs, who were previously excluded from national service.
He further advocated for the strategic deployment of graduate teachers to rural schools, noting this would address the pressing manpower gaps in underserved areas.
Earlier, the NYSC DG, Brig. Gen. Nafiu, urged the federal government to establish a database of Nigerian youths studying abroad, which he said would help eliminate cases of fake graduates and ensure accurate records.
“NYSC is ready to comply with policy guidelines as directed by the Federal Government. We are also trying to reform the Scheme to conform with the present national needs,” Nafiu stated.
In response, Alausa revealed that the Ministry of Education is digitising the verification process for foreign-trained Nigerian graduates, a move aimed at improving transparency and efficiency.
He emphasized the importance of strengthening the partnership between the Ministry and the NYSC in order to align the programme more closely with national development goals.
