The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, has said the ongoing reform of the National Youth Service Corps will transform the scheme from a mobilisation programme into a platform that equips graduates with employable skills, strengthens national unity and improves their chances of securing jobs after service.
Speaking with Saturday PUNCH on Thursday on behalf of the minister, Olawande’s Chief of Staff, Mohammed Abdullahi, said the reforms approved by the Federal Executive Council were designed to ensure that “no young graduate leaves the NYSC the same way they entered the scheme.”
According to him, while the scheme’s core mandate of promoting national integration will remain intact, the government believes the 53-year-old programme must evolve to meet the country’s changing economic realities.
He explained that the reform would reduce emphasis on military-style drills during orientation camps, introduce career-focused learning pathways and strengthen security arrangements for corps members.
“The NYSC should no longer be seen merely as a mobilisation exercise. It should become a platform that promotes employment, entrepreneurship, productivity and national development while still preserving its original mandate of fostering unity among Nigerians,” Abdullahi said.
