In a recent move that has sent ripples through the higher education landscape, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has announced a new policy that could potentially exclude some Higher National Diploma (HND) graduates from fulfilling their national service obligations.
The policy, which mandates the submission of an Industrial Training (IT) certificate as a prerequisite for NYSC registration, has left many graduates scrambling to meet the new requirement.
The NYSC’s official Facebook post stated that HND graduates must provide evidence of completing their one-year mandatory IT program before being registered for their respective NYSC camps. This shift in policy means that HND graduates mobilized for Batch B Stream II without the necessary IT certificate will face the risk of being barred from the national service.
The one-year IT program is a longstanding requirement for admission to HND programs, as stipulated by law. However, our investigation has revealed that some polytechnic and monotechnic institutions have been disregarding this regulation and enrolling students without the mandatory IT certificate. This has resulted in thousands of HND graduates now facing the hurdle of securing proof of their internship experience before the next NYSC orientation camp, scheduled for August 28, 2024.
Addressing the issue, the NYSC coordinator in Lagos State, Yetunde Baderinwa, cited the recent prevalence of HND graduates who had not undergone the mandatory one-year IT program prior to their admission. “The one-year IT is a prerequisite for HND,” Baderinwa stated, emphasizing the need for institutions to confirm this requirement before admitting students.
The affected HND graduates have expressed understandable frustration, arguing that the institutions they attended should be held accountable for the oversight. “My school did not let us know that we have to provide the mandatory IT certificate, and I fear this could disqualify me,” said Hauwa, a recent graduate from Kaduna State Polytechnic.
As the NYSC prepares to enforce the new policy, prospective corps members like Hauwa are pleading for leniency and intervention from the Scheme. They hope that the NYSC will work with their respective institutions to clarify the standing of those who were mobilized without the required IT certification.
The situation highlights the need for better communication and alignment between higher education institutions and the NYSC, ensuring that graduates are fully aware of and prepared to meet the necessary requirements for national service. As the affected HND graduates await further clarification, the hope is that a resolution can be found that considers their circumstances, while also upholding the integrity of the NYSC program in subsequent years.
