NYSC as an underemployment agency

 

I understand that about 80% of

Nigerians support not scrapping NYSC.

This is to be expected.

One may need to know the raison d'etre for the program. It was basically to heal the wounds of the Nigerian Civil War by uniting the youths of Nigeria.

It is interesting that what the program gives with one hand, inane government policies take with another hand.

That explains why today, we are sadly as divided as we were after the war, no wonder war cries are everywhere.

If the program has not given the desired results no thanks to the various governments, then why keep it?

It is indeed a no brainer. It cushions the effect of unemployment.

The NYSC is among the biggest employers of labour in Nigeria. Sadly, the use to which the corpers are put makes a mockery of the word employment, thus it is safer to say that the youths are at best underemployed.

The assignments are mostly at variance with their passion thus they just ghost for the money while pursuing their dreams.

For keeping the youths hoping, it should be retained but remodelled as a finishing school of sorts.

The youths should be engaged based on their needs and not just as teachers in the rural areas.

They should be prepared for entry into the labour market instead of the ostrich game currently in place.

A proper evaluation of the program should be instituted to ensure a thorough job is done.

The future belongs to the youths but we have a duty to use our current resources to prepare them for the future.

This way, we earn their respect and they will be indebted to a caring leadership and by extension the country.