The National Youth Service Corps has interfaced with critical stakeholders to review the NYSC skill sets, Enterprenuerial training curriculum and monitoring tools with a view to identifying best practices that deliver optimum results.
The Director-General of the NYSC Scheme, Brigadier General Muhammad Kaku Fadah who declared the crucial meeting opened, urged the participants to be steadfast in appraising the entire SAED Programme through open discussions that can realign objectives with skills demand and contemporary challenges of graduate youth unemployment .
Represented by the Director, Planning, research and statistics Alh Dr Ahmed Wada Ikaka, the DG called on them to rejig the curriculum of SAED thereby making it attune to the demand of the 21st Century entrepreneurs.
” I salute each and every one of you and plead with you all to remain steadfast in this sacrificial, yet fulfilling task which you have chosen in order to develop the capacity of our children and get them off the streets ” He said.
While reiterating Management’s resolve to reset the priorities of the SAED Programme to be in tune with the expectations and the desired outcomes, the DG called for greater involvement of the private sector in order to drive the review process to an appreciable level.
“It is our earnest belief that by the time the NYSC Trust Fund receives assent from the President, we would all have cause to celebrate. ” He assured.
Earlier in her welcome address, the Director skills acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development Hajiya Walida Siddique Isa enumerated the multiple challenges facing the programme and enjoined participants to use their expertise in charting a new vista for the future of self-employment by our youthful graduates.
” we shall therefore review the whole gamut of the SAED Implementation framework to ensure that its objectives are appropriately aligned with international practices and remedy deviations from the programme objectives. We shall also rejig and institute necessary changes in the current skill sets to reflect contemporary skills demand worldwide, including the development of an effective and efficient monitoring and evaluation system.” She said.
The Guest Speaker,Professor Chidi Ibe called for an overhaul and critical review of the main objectives of SAED , its processes and desired outcomes in line with global best practices.
He said NYSC has the best platform to impart relevant skills and empower youth to become drivers of sustainable socio-economic development of the country.
Discussions on the SAED review programme were centred on the theme: “Re-aligning Programme objectives to meet current skills demand”.
Goodwill message was delivered by the representative of the International Labour Organisation, Ms Vaneese Phala.
