The proposed exclusion of full-time Higher National Diploma (HND) graduates from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme has sparked massive protests in Lagos.
Registration for the second stream of Batch C mobilisation commenced on Monday, January 6, and students reacted to claims that HND graduates who previously completed part-time National Diploma programmes would be excluded from the compulsory one-year service.
Protest and Demands
The affected graduates converged at the NYSC secretariat in Lagos on Monday morning, holding placards with messages like “Say No To Discrimination in NYSC” and “Equal Rights for All.”
They called for their inclusion in the NYSC mobilisation process, expressing concerns over the proposed exclusion and describing the policy as discriminatory.
Many emphasized that they had worked hard to transition from part-time diploma programmes to full-time.
Official Response and Next Steps
In response to the protests, a letter has been written to the Director-General and JAMB, calling on the Federal Government and Ministry of Education to review the policy.
The Lagos NYSC Coordinator, represented by Assistant Director Ehimuenma Itohan, assured the graduates that their concerns had been forwarded to the Director-General at the national headquarters.
“Your protest has been duly noted, and we have escalated your grievance to the highest level of management in NYSC. The Director-General is a father figure who deeply cares about the concerns of the youth, and I assure you that he will
It remains to be seen how the Federal Government intends to resolve the issue and ensure affected graduates can join the Batch C mobilisation registration before the deadline.
HND in Nigeria
A Higher National Diploma (HND) is a higher education qualification in Nigeria, awarded by polytechnics, monotechnics, and some colleges of education after a two-year course of study.
It is typically pursued by students who have completed a National Diploma (ND) and want to further their education in a specific field of study.
BSc vs HND, NUC Speaks
Legit.ng reported that the National University Commission (NUC) has said the differences between the university degree holders and the Higher National Diploma still exist, adding that the act to abolish it has not been signed by President Bola Tinubu.
Chris Maiyaki, the NUC acting secretary, in a statement on Sunday, October 15, made the clarification while dismissing the report that the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has started offering a year course to make the programme equal with the Bachelor’s degree.
