The National Youth Service Corps Year comprises
of four (4) main segments in which every Corps
Members must satisfactorily participate before
he/she is qualified to be issued a certificate of
National Service. The service year therefore
comprises of:
a. Orientation Courses
b. Primary Assignment
c. Community Development Service
d. Winding – Up/Passing –out


ORIENTATION COURSE
A National Youth Service Corps year starts with a
3 weeks orientation course and it is compulsory
for all Nigeria graduates mobilised for national
service. The course lasts for three (3) weeks and
is designed to achieve the following objectives:
i. To give Corps Members a better
understanding of the objectives of the
NYSC Scheme and enable them internalise
its ideals
ii. To acquaint members with their
environment in their political, cultural,
social and economic setting
iii. To prepare Corps members for their
particular roles in the Scheme.
iv. To equip them with practical social and
leadership skills that will enable them meet
the challenges of the service year ahead.
v. To inculcate in the Corps members the
spirit of national consciousness as a basic
ingredient in nation building.
vi. To instil discipline in the youths.
vii. To give Corps members adequate physical
and mental training.
viii. To imbibe them with the Spirit of collective
responsibility
To achieve the above objectives the orientation
course opens with a swearing –in/opening
ceremony presided over by the executive Governor
of the State/FCT Minister. The oath of Allegiance
and the National Pledge are administered by the
Chief Judge of the State/FCT.
The orientation course content involves physical
training, drills, lectures on the people and tradition
of the host State, professional lectures for Corps
health personnel’s, lawyers, teachers and Skill
acquisition training e.t.c. Corps members
participate in social activities designed to create
opportunities for them to interact.
They participate in dance and drama
competitions, Miss NYSC and Mr Macho.
They also participate in inter platoon competitions
on football, volleyball, table tennis, cooking and
sanitation. Corps members are also trained on
Man ‘O’ War activities leading to competitions on
inter platoon drills and tug of war.


PRIMARY ASSIGNMENT
At the end of the orientation, Corps members are
posted to their place of primary assignment.
While the NYSC Management takes into
consideration the areas of specialization of Corps
members carrying out the posting exercise,
emphasis is placed in rural posting in the areas of
Agriculture, Health, Education and Infrastructure.
It is expected that Corps members should accept
their posting and be agents of change
contributing towards the development of their
host communities.


COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
The Community Development Service (CDS) is
aimed at harnessing the skills, creativity and
innovativeness of Corps members. Corps
members are expected to identified the needs of
their host communities and mobilise members of
their host communities to embark on the projects.
Through this programme, many Corps members
were able to construct bridges, health care
centres, classroom blocks, market stalls, culverts
etc. they had also carried out projects like HIV
sensitization, adult literacy campaign, extra-mural
classes for students, road safety campaign etc.
Corps members participate actively in the
Millennium Development Goals (MDG) through the
War Against Poverty (WAP) programme of the
scheme.


WINDING –UP/PASSING-OUT
At the end of the service year (usually at the 12th
month) corps members are gathered in their
respective zones for assessment of the service
year and de briefing. It is the period when Corps
members present their final clearance letters from
their employers and submit same to their Zonal/
Local Government Inspectors.
Parade rehearsals are conducted in readiness for
the passing-out ceremony which is usually
presided over by the Executive Governor of the
State. During the ceremony, those with
outstanding performance during the service year
are given State Honours Award. For a Corps
member to merit an award, he/she must be
outstanding in the orientation course, primary
assignment, community development service and
winding –up exercise.