Thousands of fresh Higher National Diploma (HND) graduates in Nigeria are grappling with confusion and frustration after discovering that the Federal Government has excluded them from participating in the mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme. This development has left many graduates feeling abandoned, as the government’s decision to deny them registration has thrown their future into uncertainty.
The issue came to light when these graduates, who completed their National Diploma (ND) programs on a part-time basis, found out that the NYSC, a paramilitary organization responsible for mobilizing Nigerian graduates for the national service, had refused to register them. This exclusion, which is based solely on the fact that they studied part-time for their ND, has stunned many students, especially since this decision appears to be unprecedented in the history of the NYSC, which has been in operation for over 50 years.
In response to this exclusion, a group of HND graduates staged a peaceful protest earlier this month in Lagos. They were upset to find that their peers, who completed both their ND and HND programs on a full-time basis, were already being mobilized for the current Batch ‘C’ Stream 2, 2024 NYSC orientation. The protesting graduates gathered at the NYSC Lagos State Secretariat in Surulere, urging the NYSC and President Bola Tinubu to address their concerns and include them in the current mobilization.
The graduates pointed out that despite having regularized their admissions with the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), which issued them admission letters for their HND programs, they were still denied the opportunity to serve. They expressed disbelief that they were being excluded based on the part-time status of their ND programs, which they argued had never been a barrier to NYSC registration in the past.
During the protest, the NYSC Lagos State Coordinator, Mrs. Salwang Christiana, addressed the graduates through a representative, Ehimuenma Itoha, an Assistant Director. She assured them that the NYSC leadership in Abuja was aware of the situation and would address the issue as soon as possible. Despite these assurances, the graduates, frustrated by the lack of progress, sent a six-man delegation to Abuja last week to directly engage with the NYSC leadership.
As the deadline for registration approaches, these HND graduates are left in limbo, with many concerned about the impact this delay will have on their careers and future prospects. The situation has sparked widespread discussions about the NYSC’s policies and the growing frustration among Nigerian graduates who feel they are being unjustly excluded from national service. The NYSC’s response in the coming days will likely determine whether these students will be allowed to serve alongside their peers or be left waiting for a solution that may never come.
