1. National service programs and proposals
Nigeria<
Colonel HB Momoh
Director
National Youth Service Corps
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) was established by law on May 22, 1973 to mobilize Nigerian youths for nation building and to prepare them for patriotic and loyal service to their fatherland. This law, which establishes the "Scheme," provides for a Directorate comprising (among others), the Chairman and the National Director/Chief Executive. The Directorate is the governing and policy-making body of the NYSC.
Duration of Service. As provided in the enabling law, the duration of national service for all participants is 12 calendar months.
Eligibility. Participation in the Scheme is mandatory for Nigerian youths who have graduated from any university in or outside Nigeria, or those who have obtained the Nigerian Higher National Diploma.
Objectives. The objectives of the NYSC, as spelled out in the law establishing the Scheme, are summarized as follows:
The inculcation of discipline in the youths; The raising of the moral tone of the youths; The development of attitudes of mind acquired through training; The development of common ties among the youths and promotion of national unity by
Assigning them to work outside their states of origin; Ensuring that each work group reflects the federal character; Exposing the youths to modes of living of the people in different parts of the country;
Eliminating ignorance;
The encouragement of free movement of labor; The inducement of employers to engage qualified Nigerians readily; The acquisition of the spirit of self-reliance by the youths.
Age Range and Size. Participants in the Scheme are aged 18 to 30 years. Some 400,000 have served in the Scheme since its inception; about 42,000 have been mobilized for the 1991-1992 service year.
Service Activities. The NYSC consists basically of four programs: the orientation and induction course, the primary assignment, the community development service, and the winding-up exercise and passing-out parade.
The orientation is the systematic introduction of all prospective Corps members to the Scheme, to its challenges, and to national imperatives. After the one-month orientation, the Corps members are posted to various establishments in both private and public sectors to render service for 11 calendar months. During this period, Corps members also are encouraged to undertake projects that their host communities perceive as needed. They pursue these projects year-round as their community development service.
At the end of the 12 months, as part of the winding-up exercise, the Corps members are brought together again in a camp to discuss their experiences. After this, each Corps participant receives a Certificate of National Service, and exemplary Corps members are honored.
Links. A large proportion of Corps members are deployed to educational institutions for their national service. Others are deployed to military establishments. Deployment is based mainly on areas of specialization, national needs, and other considerations.
Special Feature. A special feature of the Scheme is that a large percentage of the Corps members receive rural assignments. This practice is aimed at maintaining a massive grass-roots presence for eventual transformation of the rural areas of the country.
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