Approves Extension of Orientation Camps Duration, Leadership Transition
Streamlines Deployment of Corp Members within Geo-Political Zones
- Safiu Kehinde
President Bola Tinubu has on Wednesday confirmed his approval of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) policy reform.
NPO Reported that the Minister of Youths Development, Ayodele Olawande, had yesterday announced the plan to reform the NYSC scheme with notable changes which include leadership transition from military to civilian administration; restructuring of orientation camp to six weeks; and redesign of the NYSC uniform amongst other.
Reacting to the development in a statement issued on his official X handle, Tinubu held that the NYSC scheme is being repositioned from a mobilisation scheme into a national development platform.
He confirmed the extension of the orientation camp to six-week against the old three-week camping.
“For 53 years, the NYSC has served the cause of national unity. That mission remains important and must be preserved. But the Nigeria of today demands more.
“Our young people are nearly 70 per cent of our population. They are not a burden to be managed.
“They are the engine of the one-trillion-dollar economy we are building and the hope of this nation.
“We are repositioning the NYSC from a mobilisation scheme into a national development platform for skills, employability, productivity and enterprise.
“The NYSC orientation programme will now become a six-week journey. It will begin with civic responsibility, leadership, values and personal development.” He said.
After the six-week camping, the corp members are to be drafted into 11 new corps stream which will be based on their academic background and career pathway.
“It will then move into career readiness, entrepreneurship, digital and financial skills. Finally, corps members will receive specialised training aligned with their academic background and career pathway.
“These streams will include agriculture, health, education, technology, law, public service, infrastructure, green economy, enterprise, creative economy, and para-military/security service.
“Every corps member must leave NYSC better prepared for work, enterprise and national service.
“We are also making the NYSC Scheme safer and smarter. Deployment to security-challenged states will be guided by risk assessment.” Tinubu said.
The president further noted that that the new NYSC scheme will prioritise indigenes, residents, graduates of institutions in those states and those from neighbouring states within the same geopolitical zones.
On the call-up process, Tinubu said that the process will become technology-driven and primary assignments will be better aligned with each corps member’s skills, academic background and career stream.
The President also confirmed the leadership transition which will now be headed by a civilian Director-General as against the military administration.
He also disclosed that the Passing-Out Parade will be replaced with Graduation Ceremony to affirm the corp members completion of the service year as trained civic and professional contributors to national development.
“Our administration is also strengthening governance, standards and the dignity of the NYSC scheme.
“The NYSC will be led by a civilian Director-General, supported by three Executive Directors, including a Security Services Executive Director, who will be a military or paramilitary officer.
“Orientation camps will be assessed under a national grading and certification framework, while states will be expected to meet minimum standards.
“The Passing-Out Parade will become a Graduation Ceremony because our corps members will no longer merely complete service. They will graduate as trained civic and professional contributors to national development.” Tinubu added.