By Suleiman Mustapha
Polytechnic graduates without evidence of undertaking 12-month industrial training will not be registered at t the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) camps.
This was disclosed by the acting NYSC Director of Press and Public Relations, Mrs Caroline Lembu, in an interview.
She stressed that polytechnic graduates or holders of the Higher National Diploma require a certificate of industrial training which is mandatory for them to participate in the one-year national youth service.
The NYSC had recently introduced a new policy, requiring graduates of polytechnics and monotechnics to present an IT certification, as part of requirements for the national service, particularly for participation in the camp activities.
NYSC explained that the prospective corps members “must undergo the one-year IT with evidence of completion before going for HND, and institutions must confirm this before admitting them for HND.”
“The directive will take effect from the next orientation camp, and we will not register any candidate who did not complete or undergo the process.’’
“That is part of the requirement for obtaining an HND Certificate, isn’t it? So, it’s just that certificate. That is one of the documents they are required to present at the camp. They would get admission into the camp, but whether they would be registered or not is the issue. You know, everyone is admitted to the camp, and your documents are scrutinised. But what happens is that that is the requirement.”
Lembu noted that polytechnic students “are supposed to do the 12-month training,” as a pre-condition for earning the HHD certificate.
“It is a prerequisite for getting the HND certificate. That is just the certificate they are asking for. They are not being rejected, they are just supposed to present it,” she said.
Investigations revealed that HHD holders without IT certificates were being turned back from NYSC orientation camps across the country.
Lending voice to the new policy, the National President of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, Mr Shammah Kpanja, backed the NYSC policy.
“The industrial attachment is an extension of the National Diploma programme and is a critical requirement for advancing to the Higher National Diploma. To be eligible for the HND, you must complete a one-year industrial attachment, where you acquire practical industry skills relevant to your field of study. After completing the IT, you can then enroll for the HND.
“However, some students bypass this requirement by staying at home after their ND and falsely claiming to have completed the IT when they apply for the HND. This deprives them of the practical experience that is essential for their development. The one-year industrial attachment is not just a formality; it’s a mandatory part of the training, and the skills gained during this period are expected to be demonstrated during the HND programme.”
The ASUP President explained that NYSC’s decision not to admit polytechnic graduates without IT certificates followed a communication to the scheme by the National Board for Technical Education.
