Few months ago I graduated from a university here in Nigeria. Since then, I have been very much concern about what NYSC stands for. I developed a great dislike for the scheme, this is however not because I am above the age limit (even if a take another 5-year degree program I cannot be above the age limit for NYSC)
It is a norm in Nigeria for universities and polytechnics graduates who are below thirty (30) years of age to serve their fatherland. The reactions of graduates to this scheme are diverse. In this post I want to express my opinion on NYSC. Right from the moment it dawned on me that in the next few months/weeks I would leave the university, I developed a great dislike for the whole thing. The focus of many Nigerian youth after graduation is NYSC. This never appealed to me. In fact, I do not want to participate in the scheme. However, since it is compulsory, my options are limited. Below are some of the reasons for my desire not to participate in NYSC.

1. It is now purposeless: One of the purposes of the scheme is to strengthen national integration and cultural interaction. It was a strategy to rebuild the nation after the civil war. This is no longer being achieved. Graduates who are indigenes of Osun state can now serve in Oyo or Ondo state. Are we still in civil war? After how many years! This is crazy!

2. Loss of lives: Many corps members have lost their lives in the course of the scheme. Some lost their lives through election violence, community violence, civil unrest, and other social instabilities. Some died in road accidents while travelling to their PPA, to camp or when returning home.

3. It is a sheer waste of time: In my opinion it serves as a waste of time and resources. The whole year of one’s life into NYSC is a complete waste of time and national human resources. Many have told me that it is service to their fatherland, the question I asked them is that who are the people in business, corporate organizations et cetera serving? Are they not contributing to the development of Nigeria? So what is service to fatherland order than this? In as much as I am not ignorant of the fact that despite its unsuitability many have made something out of it, what I am peddling is that in the final analysis, NYSC has done and is doing more harm than good. Our leaders have not realize the importance of time and national human resource. I believe if they do, they will stop the scheme. Many cannot proceed to further studies because they’ve not participate in NYSC while their counterparts in other nations are making application for further studies even before the completion of their B.Sc programs.

4. Waste of national resources: The amount the federal government spend on a corps member is alarming. Each corps member is paid 19800 (a peanut) for twelve (12) months that is a total of ₦237,600. I heard the kits cost ₦80,000 per person, making ₦317600. Multiply this by 100,000 (assumed number of graduates in 2-3 years). The total is about ₦32billion. Now consider the grand total for the past 10 years. This is simply unthinkable. Can this enormous resources be used for something worthwhile?

5. An avenue for embezzlement: Many miscreants, charlatans and unscrupulous Nigerians are milking the national resources through this scheme. It should be scrapped.

6. Inhumane treatment of corps members: With the present state of the economy what is ₦19800? This is not a sufficient amount to live by monthly, does it mean that FG wants graduate to depend on their parents even after tertiary education?

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Read this:https://www.nairaland.com/3659373/please-advice-me-what-action

OP u have a point but i wana let u know that the merits of NYSC far outweighs its demerits. besides u need to understand that the Nigerian Educational system was designed in a manner that u have to gain admission through JAMB then after graduation u obtain your certificate from NYSC, without which u will not be considered a graduate no matter the school's certificate u posses.

JAMB is the entry door to Nigeria's education system, NYSC is the exit door where u'll collect ur certificate.
All we should call for is a RESTRUCTURE of NYSC not SCRAP, if they scrap it, so many fake graduates will flood the market within a short time.

kaysy:
OP u have a point but i wana let u know that the merits of NYSC far outweighs its demerits. besides u need to understand that the Nigerian Educational system was designed in a manner that u have to gain admission through JAMB then after graduation u obtain your certificate from NYSC, without which u will not be considered a graduate no matter the school's certificate u posses.

JAMB is the entry door to Nigeria's education system, NYSC is the exit door where u'll collect ur certificate.
All we should call for is a RESTRUCTURE of NYSC not SCRAP, if they scrap it, so many fake graduates will flood the market within a short time.

Thanks. Can you please educate me? How is NYSC preventing 'fake' graduates?

kaysy:
OP u have a point but i wana let u know that the merits of NYSC far outweighs its demerits. besides u need to understand that the Nigerian Educational system was designed in a manner that u have to gain admission through JAMB then after graduation u obtain your certificate from NYSC, without which u will not be considered a graduate no matter the school's certificate u posses.

JAMB is the entry door to Nigeria's education system, NYSC is the exit door where u'll collect ur certificate.
All we should call for is a RESTRUCTURE of NYSC not SCRAP, if they scrap it, so many fake graduates will flood the market within a short time.

I am also displeased about thing call JAMB. We do things like a confused nation. The curricula of JAMB subjects are different from their corresponding SSCE curricula. The meaning is that our secondary schools are not preparing students who can fit into tertiary institutions after secondary school education. Then what is the whole essence of secondary school education?

boay:


Thanks. Can you please educate me? How is NYSC preventing 'fake' graduates?

If only you know how fraudulent the average Nigerian mind is..... How i just wish
Secondly, can't you people ask yourselves that this NYSC you've been calling FG to scrap and they kept a deaf ear to the call, don't you think there is something they are seeing that you are not seeing? can't u ask your self this question and then start a critical research to unravel the reason behind FG's decision, do this and submit ur report in 2years time, i'll be waiting

boay:


I am also displeased about thing call JAMB. We do things like a confused nation. The curricula of JAMB subjects are different from their corresponding SSCE curricula. The meaning is that our secondary schools are not preparing students who can fit into tertiary institutions after secondary school education. Then what is the whole essence of secondary school education?

There you go again, they should still scrap JAMB? Do u know that JAMB is the only reason why children of the rich and poor sits together in same class in schools like UNILAG & Others? An average Nigerian youth both graduates and undergraduates knows nothing and knows not that he knows nothing.

kaysy:

If only you know how fraudulent the average Nigerian mind is..... How i just wish
Secondly, can't you people ask yourselves that this NYSC you've been calling FG to scrap and they kept a deaf ear to the call, don't you think there is something they are seeing that you are not seeing? can't u ask your self this question and then start a critical research to unravel the reason behind FG's decision, do this and submit ur report in 2years time, i'll be waiting


There you go again, they should still scrap JAMB? Do u know that JAMB is the only reason why children of the rich and poor sits together in same class in schools like UNILAG & Others? An average Nigerian youth both graduates and undergraduates knows nothing and knows not that he knows nothing.

It is crystal clear that you don't know how dumb Nigeria leaders are. They've not lsitened to the call for cancellation of NYSC because some of them are too busy embezzling funds. There reaction to the demand of the public cannot be a yardstick to justify it existence. They do not have the time and the intelligence to do a critical 'cost-benefit analysis' of the scheme. Besides, it is also apparent that you may be oblivious of the fact that many of them are funding there purses from the scheme.

If Nigerians can forge B.SC or HND certificate, do you think they cant forge that of NYSC. Well, we've seen that several times.


This is where you are missing things about UTME/JAMB. I never said I want it scrapped. Read my post again.

my contribution toward this debate was that if the federal govt scrap the scheme did u think the money spent(#32billion)will be judiciously used for the country benefit........I don't think so....let the graduate continue to benefit the little given to them through the so called NYSC scheme......

pyman11:
my contribution toward this debate was that if the federal govt scrap the scheme did u think the money spent(#32billion)will be judiciously used for the country benefit........I don't think so....let the graduate continue to benefit the little given to them through the so called NYSC scheme......

I don't think graduates are really benefitting in the final analysis. I have not served, but preparing to, the amount I made in a month is more than the 19,800 naira they will be paying during NYSC. This meagre amount cannot sustain an average Nigerian youth in a month. That shows that they (our leaders) still expect graduates to be dependent. That is crazy!