The Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, has proposed an extension of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme from one year to two years.
Dr. Alausa made the suggestion on Friday during a courtesy visit by the new NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, to his office in Abuja.
According to the minister, extending the service period would allow for a more robust implementation of the NYSC’s Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme, equipping corps members with practical tools to become job creators.
“You have done so well as an organization,” Alausa said. “Let NYSC give people more opportunity to become job creators that will meet the needs of the country.”
He also commended the NYSC for digitizing its processes, a move he said has been instrumental in reducing certificate fraud, particularly among foreign-trained graduates from West Africa.
Touching on another contentious issue, the minister addressed the long-standing concern over OND part-time graduates who proceed to obtain full-time HND qualifications but are currently exempted from national service.
Earlier in the meeting, Brigadier General Nafiu praised the minister for his innovation and achievements in the education sector. He also called for the creation of a national database to track Nigerian youths studying abroad, in a bid to streamline qualifications and tackle fraudulent academic claims.
