The Minister of Education, Dr. Olatunji Alausa, has proposed extending the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) program from its current one-year duration to two years. This proposal was made during a meeting with the NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, at the Ministry’s headquarters in Abuja. The minister believes that a longer service period could better equip Nigerian graduates with practical skills and national experience.
Alausa explained that the extended NYSC duration would allow corps members to participate more deeply in the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) program. He emphasized that with two years, the training could be more comprehensive, enabling participants to leave the scheme with solid, market-ready skills and better job prospects.
He also stressed the importance of deploying more graduates—especially teachers—to underserved rural communities. The minister noted that the NYSC plays a critical role in addressing educational manpower shortages in these areas, and a longer service period could enhance continuity and impact.
In response, the NYSC Director-General expressed the scheme’s willingness to align with any policy direction from the federal government. He also revealed plans to digitize NYSC processes and establish a database to verify foreign-trained graduates, aiming to curb certificate fraud and improve the overall integrity of the program. The proposal for the NYSC extension remains under review and has not yet been approved.
