PROPOSED SOLUTIONS FOR NYSC SCHEME

CORPER WEE! A CALL TO REVIEW THE NYSC SCHEME

National Youth Service Corp NYSC was established in 1973 by the then Nigerian Government General Yakubu Gowon, to develop the common ties among the Nigerian youths and to promote National unity and integration. Other objectives includes inculcating discipline in Nigerian youths by instilling in them a tradition of industry to work, patriotic and loyal service to Nigeria in any situation they find themselves. To raise the moral tone of the Nigerian youths by giving them the opportunity to learn about higher ideals of national achievement, social and cultural improvement.

Recently, the purpose of NYSC scheme has being forfeited. “ when the purpose of a thing is not known abuse is inevitable”. The NYSC certificate has been highly exalted and glorified more than the importance of the scheme. making the usefulness of the scheme forgotten. Corp members are now posted on favouritism, ghost corper, Having feelings that it is a waste of their time,etc.

ADVANTAGES OF NYSC SCHEME

1. To unite the people, culture and language barrier.
2. To build network: it creates an avenue to meet with people of different backgrounds, culture, education and languages. etc
3. It exposes the rural settlement and opportunities, skills, business idea,climate which is interchange during the period.
4. Ambassador of Ethnic group: it gives opportunity for corp members to be ambassador of their tribes and ethnic groups.  also their giving first hand experience with the ethnic groups in a way that might make them change their thought about her people.
5. It provides jobs opportunities for Nigerians. the scheme has officials and secretariat all over the nation. employing more than a thousand persons.
6. It help schools and organisations in rendering service, corp member impacts knowledge to nursery,primary and secondary schools. and this has a way of improving the corp member. For organisations,corp members provides free and selfless services.
7. Allowance and loans are available for corp member during the service year.
8. SAED programme gives primary skills which could be developed on.

DISADVANTAGES OF NYSC SCHEME

1. NYSC has brought cheap labour to organisations who hires their services as qualified hands, those who ought to gainfully employed are denied because organisations can continue to request for corp members on yearly basis for peanut. This has a way of increasing unemployment in Nigeria.
2. You could be be posted to remote part of the country that takes hours to get  with terrible roads, little or no electricity, no portable drinkable water,sanity or basic amenities.
3. Being vulnerable: more or most likely to be exposed to chance of being attacked or harmed, either physically or emotionally.
1. Physically, you can be killed, harmed or hurt due to insecurity in some parts of the country.
2. Emotionally, this come with the questions what are corp members doing with their time?. These days corp members sees the scheme as a complete waste of their time and therefore, resulting to idleness which at the end resolves to indulging in sexual activities with pupils, politicians, fellow corper and whomsoever they have just to while away time or to explore their sexuality in a place where nobody knows them. Some still involves in drugs, alcoholism due to idleness. Most girls has lost their virginity during their service year.
4. Delay in Job employment Opportunities. Making the scheme compulsory had affected or deprived many from jobs and scholarships opportunities. For job most times companies will give age limits, for example. Job not available for someone above 26 years. which is very common. Most Universities are backward when it comes to posting or publishing list of students for NYSC service. some has graduated since 2015 but are going for NYSC service in 2017. this therefore adds 3 year extra to the age of the person. finally making the person not suitable for that opportunity.
5. Corp member who had jobs has to resign or sack from their job or close their business during their service year. making it difficult for them since the NYSC allowance is not up to their standard of living
6. Unfavourable to Young Married Men: this scheme has affected young married men, who can not afford to relocate with the family to a new state. firstly, Change of location from their source of income, business environment. And not special consideration from the government in terms of increase in allowances.
7. Insufficient Allowance: The 19,800 Naria is just not enough for a serving corp member in the country, which high cost of living in every part of the country. corp members has to rent a house,pay NEPA bills. transportation to weekly community development service, communication and subscription of data. This has made corp members involving in illegal activities just to meet the standard of living.

PROPOSED SOLUTIONS FOR NYSC SCHEME

1. Schools should post students immediately after graduating.
2. Reduce the period of the service year: The activities of the service year can be compressed with the following few steps;
1. After the first compulsory orientation camp, there should be a 3 months selfless service. where corp member will be posted to different organisations, schools as it is now.
2. After that, Another 3 months should be on effective entrepreneurship skills training in various fields. this is to prepare Corp members with practical knowledge to work, start a business or a company.
3. Finally, the allowance for the remaining 6 months should be giving to the serving corp member with their certificates (NYSC Certificate and the Skilled Certificate) as a starting capital to start up what they have learnt from the last 3 months.

This will at the end save time or reduce the time frame from 12 months to 7 months. also has achieved the aim of the scheme which is to unity the people and unity the nation. it has also increased capable manpower with capital for youths to kick start their business proposals.

Since there is no job guarantee in any part of the country at the moment.  this is a nice tool to help boost the economy starting from the youth.

CONCLUSION

NYSC is a tool of the whole states of the nation instead of scrapping the scheme, it should be reviewed, stressing that the advantage outweigh its disadvantage.

Thanks

Tariah Nengi