Education
MR Eddy Megwa, Coordinator, National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) in Lagos has described the scheme as one of the foremost unifying organisation, still standing in Nigeria.
Megwa made the remarks when he paid a courtesy visit to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Lagos Operational office on Tuesday.
He said that the scheme, established in 1973, still remained relevant towards nation-building.
“The enthusiasm of thousands of graduates, looking up to it yearly, is a clear testimony,’’ the coordinator said.
He pointed out that the impact of the NYSC was more on education.
“Talking about NYSC is talking about education in Nigeria.
“The NYSC, which is basically about unity that is being preached in Nigeria, the scheme is one of the foremost unifying organisation we have had in Nigeria.
“It is still standing till date.
“Talking about its relevance, the much-desired human resources that is a shortfall in most part of the country’s economy is being filled up by NYSC members.
“And without them, some educational institutions would have collapsed.
“The corps members at some point were teachers, headmasters and principals in some primary and secondary schools, especially in some local government areas,’’ he told NAN.
According to him, even in areas where indigenes find it difficult to work, corps members are there discharging their duties, as part of efforts to promote education at the grassroots.
The coordinator noted that NYSC was the only organisation that had given large credence to the nation’s democratic processes.
He said that corps members delivered their mandate during elections, the way it should be, while the Federal Government used the scheme to propagate its programmes, particularly those that needed to go to the hinterlands.
On the social benefits of the NYSC, Megwa said that many young men that participated in the scheme, for instance, met their life partners during the service year, which had helped the nation to a large extent.
“For instance, if a corps member from the Southwest goes to Sokoto to serve and finds his better half there and, if anybody is calling for division, he will definitely say no because he has his in-laws there.
“These are part of the dividend that the NYSC is bringing to the table in unifying the country.’’
He noted that the one-year programme of the scheme was a period that the government used to engage young graduates.
According to him, in a situation where the scheme is not provided for, the over 380,000 young graduates will likely go into armed robbery and other negative acts that can bring down society.
Megwa further told NAN that as part of a measure to extensively consolidate government efforts toward meaningfully engaging the corps members, the scheme engages them in skill acquisition programmes.
“The programmes are mandatory at various orientation camps.
“During the orientation programme, we make it mandatory for them to learn one skill acquisition programme or the other.
“We encourage them to get something to occupy and enable individuals to create wealth, employ labour until a job of their desire comes,’’ the coordinator said.
According to Megwa, undergraduates in their final year in various institutions were anxious to go for the NYSC, wear the uniform, learned diverse culture and tradition, as well as a new way of life.
He declared that the scheme had provided a formidable front for the youth to understand the nation, where they came from and stand to defend it. (NAN)
– Mar. 2, 2021 @ 16:25 GMT
Tags: NYSC; foremost unifying scheme in Nigeria – Coordinator
