Full-time Higher National Diploma (HND) graduates, who had previously completed part-time National Diploma (ND) programs, have expressed strong opposition to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme’s proposed exclusion of their group from the ongoing mobilization process. This protest took place at the NYSC secretariat in Lagos, as the registration for the second stream of Batch C mobilization began on Monday.
The graduates, holding placards with messages such as “Say No To Discrimination in NYSC” and “Equal Rights for All,” gathered to voice their concerns over what they see as an unfair policy that threatens to deny them the opportunity to participate in the NYSC scheme.
Speaking on behalf of the graduates, Majaro Temitope, an HND graduate from Yaba College of Technology, criticized the exclusionary policy. He emphasized the efforts and challenges many graduates overcame when transitioning from part-time ND programs to full-time HND courses.
“Many of us here did ND part-time and later switched to full-time HND. We were not informed of any policy that would now deny us the opportunity to serve, despite the struggles we faced during our ND years,” Temitope said.
He added that despite their efforts to engage the relevant authorities, including writing letters to the NYSC Director-General and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), no response had been received. He called for urgent intervention from both the NYSC leadership and the Ministry of Education to address what he termed a “discriminatory policy.”
Adebola Osunfunrewa, a representative from the Education Rights Campaign, also condemned the policy, calling it a reflection of the deteriorating state of Nigeria’s education system. “This policy is another sign that Nigeria’s education system is collapsing. How can over 3,000 students be begging to serve in a country that is facing severe teacher shortages?” he remarked.
In response to the protest, Ehimuenma Itohan, Assistant Director and representative of the Lagos NYSC Coordinator, assured the graduates that their grievances had been escalated to the Director-General at the national level. Itohan urged the protesters to remain patient, emphasizing that their concerns were being taken seriously.
“Your protest has been duly noted, and we have escalated your grievance to the highest level of management in NYSC. The Director-General is a father figure who deeply cares about the concerns of the youth, and I assure you that he will consider all aspects of the matter in line with the existing guidelines and policies,” Itohan said.
As the mobilization process continues, these graduates hope for a swift resolution that would grant them the opportunity to serve alongside their peers.
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