Education Minister debunks plans to extend NYSC for 2 years

NYSC

By Henry Oladele

Lagos, April 8, 2025(NAN) The Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Alausa on Tuesday, debunked the rumor that the Federal Ministry of Education was considering extending the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) service year to two years.

Alausa made this know during an interview with journalists after he delivered  the 28th convocation lecture of Lagos State University (LASU) at its main campus in Ojo, Lagos

He explained that he only proposed the formation of a teachers’ corps with NYSC as the anchor.

He said this was aimed at addressing the shortage of teachers in rural areas and bridge the unemployment gap in the country.

“So now, today, we have more supply of NCE teachers. Very well trained.They went to school.” and no job.

“Now, in a rural area, there are no teachers to teach Mathematics, English, Sciences.

“So, my proposal to NYSC is that looking to form the coming teacher corps. It's been done in other parts of the world.It was successful. Let's form a teacher corps, which NYSC can anchor.

 “And this teacher corps will engage, voluntarily, in an optional way, teachers to go serve in rural communities for two years and pay them.Even if they're being paid NYSC service wages. It's not enough,”he said.

Alausa noted that there were tens of thousands of people who were unemployed, stressing that the proposal was to tackle mass unemployment among the youths.

 “If NYSC  engages somebody, voluntarily, in an optional manner, to go to a rural area at N70,000, N80,000 a month, in a controlled two-year setting, what will happen? Our governors will see the opportunities. 

“The local community will see the opportunities that there's a high possibility of engaging these teachers after two years,” he added.

“Can we do an optional voluntary second year for any youth corps members that wants to stay? They will be paid, and they will get more skills. 

“Equip them to go back into the world, to get into the world with life skills, those are the things I said. I didn't say NYSC should be extended for two years,” he added.

The minister who hailed President Bola Tinubu for investment in education and health, said plans were underway at the Federal Ministry of Education to launch a $10 million youth entrepreneurship venture capital grant for youths in the universities.

“We will give up to $10 million for you to move your creativity, ingenuity from bench to market.

“And even if that $10 million is not enough, we've engaged the Bank of Industry to give single-digit top-up credit to you,” he said.

He said the Federal Government had also planned a N110 billion intervention for medical schools nationwide, adding that Unity Schools would also be getting N80 billion for infrastructure upgrade this year.

National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress(APC) Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, who chaired the event, noted that the president’s plan to establish skill acquisition centres in the six geopolitical zones would make  graduates self-reliant.

He hailed the Tinubu administration for the student Loan Scheme and for provision of infrastructure and facilities, as well as capacity building towards meeting the global standards and in the delivery of education.

 The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, praised Tinubu and the minister of education for the decision to return the teaching of history to schools.

She said it was a crucial step towards healing generational wounds and ensuring that  young people understand the rich, complex story of the nation.

“These are stories that will empower them to engage with one another and with Nigeria’s future in a more informed, respectful, and united manner,” she said. (NAN)