FG refutes claims of two-year NYSC scheme extension
The federal government has denied rumors regarding a proposed extension of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme to two years. The speculation that emerged on social media and in online reports last week generated significant confusion about the direction of the NYSC program.
Minister of Education Tunji Alausa addressed the issue during a convocation lecture at Lagos State University (LASU) on Tuesday, clarifying that he had been misquoted.
He said, “There was never a time that I said youth service should be extended to two years. I never said that.”
Alausa explained that his proposal was focused on establishing a special teacher corps for graduates of National Colleges of Education, aimed at alleviating the pressing shortage of teachers in rural areas, adding that this voluntary corps could deploy educators to underserved regions for two years, rather than extending the NYSC service itself.
He noted, “We are training many graduates from National Colleges of Education, but there aren’t enough jobs for them. This imbalance between supply and demand leads to challenges, especially in rural areas, where there is a lack of teachers in critical subjects like mathematics, science, and English.”
The minister also shared that the government is conducting an audit of teachers employed by Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) in unity schools, with plans to incorporate qualified PTA teachers into the federal civil service.
Source: Daily Trust
