Can my proposed NYSC changes work? (Follow-up to earlier "Serve" post)

I was very excited when I got calls and comments from some of those who read my previous blog post (http://chibvin.blogspot.com/2012/10/what-does-it-mean-to-serve.html). I had taken it for granted that everyone who reads my blog understood how the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) program works in Nigeria. This post should address some of the questions I received, help clarify how the program works, and why the changes I proposed are feasible. For those who haven't read the earlier post: "What does it mean to serve?" you can read this post before reading the earlier blog post.


How does the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Program work?
The NYSC program is a mandatory one year service program required of all university graduates in Nigeria. Once a student graduates, the student is randomly assigned to serve in a state. There are certain rules of course that govern this "random assignment:"

• The student cannot serve in his/her state of origin. Meaning that if I am from New York, I cannot serve in New York. I would have to serve in a different state, for example Texas. 
• The student does NOT have a say in where he/she can be posted. When the NYSC posting assignment is made available, students look for their names on a list and if they find they have been posted to the state of Alaska for example, they cannot reject it.
• Without the NYSC certificate, a Nigerian university graduate CANNOT legally get a job in Nigeria.

Why should the NYSC students care?
If I wanted to answer this question in one sentence, it would be this: the NYSC students (henceforth referred to as corpers) don't have to care. But, I'm not that mean (at least not when it comes to this). The reason for my simple answer is because the corpers do not have a say where they can be posted. They are simply posted to a location and do whatever task the supervisor tells them to do. With this in mind, the NYSC office can post a student to the national farms I proposed in my previous blog post. A quick summary of my previous post: I proposed that the Federal Government create a set of National farms that will be run and maintained by NYSC corpers as a way to diversify our economy (make Nigeria a nation of farmers), rejuvenate the NYSC program, and make NYSC more beneficial to the nation. (Read: http://chibvin.blogspot.com/2012/10/what-does-it-mean-to-serve.html for more details). Once a student is posted to the national farm, the student must achieve certain goals before they can obtain their NYSC certificate. For example, the student must achieve a satisfactory performance, learn certain skills etc.

Some might say "So, what?" Why should the corpers care about getting an NYSC certificate. The reason is this: a university graduate looking for a job in Nigeria MUST have his/her NYSC certificate before he can get a job. No NYSC certificate means NO job. This is the reason why everyone who plans to work in Nigeria (except if you are an expatriate) must serve as an NYSC corper. This fact will provide the motivation for students to work in the National farms without complaints.

However, the NYSC office can make the National farm experience worthwhile and that was why I suggested that seminars, workshops, team building exercises and much more should be organized to make the NYSC experience worthwhile. Although the students are required to serve in the farms, if they are excited about their service to the nation, the program will be more successful.


Does NYSC even matter?
The NYSC program has often be thought of as a waste of one year by many students. Although students enjoy the NYSC experience after it is over because of the friends they make, they often believe they could have done something much better during that time. That is why my proposed NYSC changes should make anyone excited because it can breathe new life into the program. It can make the program vital to the nation because the program can provide the food we eat, provide another source of income for our government and the education system and so much more.


The NYSC program provides the nation with a lot of unused potential. Introducing NYSC reforms is one way Nigeria can take the steps needed to guarantee a brighter future.


Don't forget to post your comments (you can post as Anonymous and I would never know who you are). I enjoy reading your comments, and it is because of some of the comments I received, that I wrote this blog post.