The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, in his commitment to youth skills acquisition, has advocated for the extension of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) service year beyond 12 months.
He stated that this would enable every Nigerian youth to be fully trained in at least one skill of their choice, thereby making them relevant in the job market.
This was contained in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja on Saturday by the Director of Press in the ministry, Folasade Boriowo.
Boriowo quoted the minister as having disclosed this during a courtesy visit by the Director-General of NYSC, Brig.-Gen. Olakunle Nafiu.
Alausa said this would allow corps members to make deeper contributions to national development after acquiring market-ready skills.
He emphasised the need to reposition the NYSC scheme to align with national development goals.
He noted that such an extension would serve as a strategic solution to unemployment by providing young Nigerians with more time to acquire market-ready skills.
According to him, this initiative would allow corps members to make more meaningful contributions to national development while enhancing their employability and entrepreneurial potential.
He then reaffirmed his belief in the potential of Nigerian youth as the country’s greatest asset for advancing education and economic growth, a potential that cannot be underestimated.
He also proposed the Teacher’s Call initiative, aimed at engaging NCE holders as temporary teachers in underserved areas, as well as a rural health corps to deliver medical training to rural communities.
He advocated for a comprehensive reform of the orientation programme to incorporate vocational, entrepreneurial, agricultural, and ICT training that enhances employability and reduces youth unemployment.
He described Nigerian youth as “the greatest asset for advancing education and economic growth”, and stressed that they should not be neglected.
The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, applauded the NYSC for its pivotal role in maintaining educational standards and protecting the integrity of academic certificates, especially in light of challenges with transnational education.
The D-G, in his remarks, expressed appreciation for the ministry’s continued partnership and noted ongoing reforms within the NYSC to improve national service delivery.
Nafiu advocated for the creation of a pre-departure database to track Nigerian students studying abroad, combat certificate fraud, and ensure qualification integrity.
He further commended the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Department (SAED) of NYSC and called for sustained partnership with the ministry to advance education and youth empowerment.
