Polytechnic Graduates Protest Planned Exclusion From NYSC Scheme

HND graduates with part-time National Diploma (ND) programmes are protesting a proposed policy that may exclude them from participating in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme.

The graduates gathered at the NYSC secretariat in Lagos on Monday morning, holding placards with messages like “Say No to Discrimination in NYSC” and “Equal Rights for All.”

Their demonstration was aimed at opposing the alleged exclusion which comes as registration for the second stream of Batch C mobilisation begins.

Majaro Temitope, an HND graduate from Yaba College of Technology, spoke on behalf of the group, describing the policy as unfair and discriminatory.

He explained that many of the affected graduates transitioned from part-time ND to full-time HND programmes and had overcome a lot of challenges to complete their studies.

“Many of us here did ND part time and we switched to HND full time. We were told that there is a policy that many of us who did ND part time will be denied service while we know that many of us struggled with life during our ND.

“We just pray and hope that our peaceful protest will not be more than this because we asked some of our colleagues to wait behind us so that we can have a dialogue,” Temitope said.

He added that they had reached out to relevant authorities, including the NYSC Director-General and the Ministry of Education, but had yet to receive any response.

“We have written letters to the DG, JAMB before now, so we just plead with the federal government, the ministry of education to please help us look into this matter because it is not fair at all because you are judging my service by my ND.

“Please help us look into this policy and address this matter because the registration has started today and we have not even registered yet,” he said.

Adebola Osunfunrewa, a representative of the Education Rights Campaign, criticized the proposed exclusion, calling it a reflection of the declining state of Nigeria’s education system.

He argued that such policies hinder progress in a country already facing a shortage of teachers.

“This is another version of the fact that Nigeria’s education system is collapsing. How will you have over 3000 students begging to serve their fatherland in a country where we have teachers’ shortages?” Osunfunrewa said.

Responding to the protest, Lagos NYSC Coordinator Christiana Salwang, represented by Assistant Director Ehimuenma Itohan, assured the graduates that their concerns had been noted.

Salwang confirmed that their petitions had been forwarded to the NYSC Director-General for review.

KanyiDaily recalls that the Federal Government recently approved a 133% rise in the monthly stipend for National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members, raising it from N33,000 to N77,000, starting in July 2024.