Meaning of NYSC: What is NYSC in Nigeria?

Being a country uniquely diverse and divided along tribal and ethnic lines, the government embraces every opportunity to unite the people on a common ground.

What better way to unite the teeming population (mostly young adults) than with the NYSC program?

Interestingly, some quarters have been vocal about their reservations concerning the usefulness and effectiveness of this program. However, the program has very much continued from inception without stopping.

Here is a detailed review of the NYSC program – what it means and how it works.?

Meaning of NYSC in Nigeria?

The NYSC is a government organization established on 22 May 1973 as a means of reconciliation and reconstruction of the country in the aftermath of the civil war.

It was established based on Act No. 24, which states that the program was created “with a view to the proper promotion and development of equitable relations among Nigerian youth and the promotion of national unity”.

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) is a program established by the Nigerian government to engage Nigerian graduates in nation-building and national development.

It is a scheme that gives Nigerian youths a sense of self-confidence by encouraging them to develop self-employment skills.

Allowing them to participate in the rapid growth of the country’s economy, encourage relations between the youths in the country, and promote national unity generally.

Who Founded the NYSC?

The NYSC was founded by then-president Yakubu Gowon on 22 May 1973, with its headquarters in the federal capital territory, Abuja.

The NYSC program’s participants are called Corp Members, Corpers or Youth Corpers.

What Are The Objectives of NYSC in Nigeria?

The objectives of the National Youth Service Corps Program are enumerated in Decree No.51 of 16 June 1993 as follows:

• To develop a sense of corporate existence and common destiny of the people of Nigeria.
• That such a group of youths assigned to work together is as representative of Nigeria as possible.
• To contribute to the accelerated growth of the national economy.
• Those service corps members are encouraged to seek, at the end of their one-year national service, career employment all over Nigeria, thus promoting the free movement of labour.
• To raise the moral tone of the Nigerian youths by allowing them to learn about higher ideals of national achievement and social and cultural improvement.
• As far as possible, youths are assigned to jobs in States other than their States of origin.
• To remove prejudices, eliminate ignorance and confirm firsthand the many similarities among Nigerians of all ethnic groups.
• That Nigerian youths are encouraged to eschew religious intolerance by accommodating religious differences.
• To develop in the Nigerian youths the attitudes of mind acquired through shared experience and suitable training. Which will make them more amenable to mobilization in the national interest.
• Nigerian youths are exposed to the modes of living of the people in different parts of Nigeria.
• To enable Nigerian youths to acquire the spirit of self-reliance by encouraging them to develop skills for self-employment.
• That employer is induced partly through their experience with service corps members to employ, more readily and permanently, qualified Nigerians, irrespective of their state of origin.
• To inculcate discipline in Nigerian youths by instilling in them a tradition of industry at work and of patriotic and loyal service to Nigeria in any situation they may find themselves.
• The equitable distribution of members of the service corps and the effective utilization of their skills in areas of national needs.
• To develop common ties among the Nigerian youths and promote national unity and integration.
• To remove prejudices, eliminate ignorance and confirm at first hand the many similarities among Nigerians of all ethnic groups

Importance of NYSC in Nigeria

The NYSC program is expected to train the youths who are the said leader of tomorrow.

The active participation of a designated category of youths in the scheme is a significant step toward national integration.

Nigerian youths who go through this program will be equipped with sound guidance, leadership skills, and entrepreneurial skills at their orientation camps and primary places of assignment.

Corpers are usually sent to non-native cities, far away from their hometown to help them connect and interface with other cultures and learn about other people’s tribal backgrounds, religions, and how to interact.

It generally helps them get closer to other ethnic groups in the county.

Eligibility of NYSC in Nigeria

To be eligible to participate in one-year compulsory service, a student must be under or not over 30 years of age at graduation, or he or she will be issued a Certificate of Exemption, equivalent to an NYSC Certificate of Exit.

A graduate who graduates before 30 but skips the one-year service will still be eligible, as his or her graduation certificate was completed before he or she turned 30.

The NYSC is compulsory because national graduates cannot apply for exemption on their own unless they have a disability, military service, or military service for more than one year or older than 30 years of graduation.

Part-Time graduates (CEP) are granted an exemption, as they are not allowed to work.

Requirements of NYSC in Nigeria

Future corps members should have a valid and functional email address and Nigerian (GSM) telephone number to register.

A valid jamb and matriculation number are also required for locally trained graduates.

Foreign-trained prospective corps members should confirm that their institutions are accredited.

Also, if trained in non-English speaking countries, they must translate their certificates to English before uploading.

It is also important to note that registrations by proxy are not allowed as every participant would be required to undergo biometrics screening.

Conclusion

The NYSC program has been useful over time, as it has helped expose the Nigerian youths to the various and diverse cultures in the country, promoting tolerance and peaceful co-existence.

Hopefully, we have been able to give you much information about NYSC in Nigeria. However, should you have further related questions, do well to leave them in the comment box below.