The Federal Government has applauded the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) for its digital transformation initiative, which has significantly curbed certificate racketeering among foreign-trained graduates, particularly within West Africa.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, gave the commendation on Thursday when the Director-General of NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja.
Dr. Alausa noted that the Scheme’s proactive and technology-driven mobilisation process has been instrumental in detecting and preventing the influx of fake academic credentials into the national service system. He also commended NYSC for resolving the lingering issue of OND part-time graduates who later obtained full-time HND qualifications and were previously exempted from national service.
The Minister disclosed that the Ministry of Education is working to digitize the verification of foreign-trained Nigerian graduates to further strengthen transparency and integrity in the education sector. He stressed the importance of continued collaboration between the Ministry and NYSC in advancing national development through education.
In a bold proposal, Dr. Alausa advocated for the extension of the NYSC programme from one year to two years to accommodate an expanded Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme. According to him, this would empower Corps Members to become job creators and bridge the unemployment gap.
“You have done so well as an organization. Let NYSC give more young Nigerians the opportunity to become job creators that will meet the needs of the country,” he said.
Earlier in his remarks, Brigadier General Nafiu lauded the Ministry’s commitment to reforming the education sector. He suggested the establishment of a national database for Nigerian students studying abroad, noted that such a system would help track their academic progress and eliminate incidents of certificate fraud.
“The NYSC is ready to comply with all policy directives from the Federal Government. We are also reforming the Scheme to align with current national priorities,” the DG stated.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, Mr. Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan, reaffirmed the Ministry’s readiness to deepen its collaboration with the NYSC in order to raise educational standards and ensure better outcomes for Nigerian youths.
