The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has begun enforcing a new policy that affects Higher National Diploma (HND) graduates at orientation camps across Nigeria. As the NYSC orientation camps opened nationwide, HND graduates without Industrial Training (IT) certification were turned away, leading to frustration and disappointment among those affected.
The NYSC’s recent directive mandates that graduates from polytechnics and monotechnics must present evidence of completing their mandatory one-year Industrial Training (IT) to be eligible for national service. This policy, which came into effect during the registration for Batch B Stream II, halted the screening process for some HND graduates who had not yet obtained their IT certificates.
Our correspondent, who visited the NYSC Orientation Camp in Kubwa, Abuja, on Tuesday at 11 a.m., reported that registration was proceeding smoothly for corps members who had all the required documentation. However, several HND graduates who were denied entry due to the absence of an IT certificate expressed their dissatisfaction.
One of the affected corps members, speaking anonymously, criticized the timing of the policy’s implementation, noting that many of their peers were already serving without having faced such a requirement. “They are asking for the IT certificate; once you present it along with other documents, you proceed with the registration. This requirement has led to frustration among some corps members,” she said.
Another prospective corps member, Mrs. Hauwa Collins, a nursing mother, shared her experience of the registration process. She noted that as long as all necessary documents, including the IT certificate and age declaration, were in order, the process was smooth and efficient. “I arrived at the camp before 10 a.m. and was quickly processed after verifying my documents. However, some of our colleagues are frustrated; I met one woman who came from Kaduna and was very upset because she was screened out,” she added.
As the registration process continues, the fate of those rejected remains uncertain. Due to tight security measures, our correspondent was unable to gather further details, as access to the camp was restricted to corps members only.
