The National Youth Service Year: An Over- View

The National Youth Service Year: An Over-
View
The National Youth Service Corps Year comprises of
four (4) main segments in which every Corps
Members must satisfactorily participate before he/
she is qualified to be issued a certificate of
National Service. The service year therefore
comprises of:
a. Orientation Courses
b. Primary Assignment
c. Community Development Service
d. Winding – Up/Passing –out
ORIENTATION COURSE
A National Youth Service Corps year starts with a
3 weeks orientation course and it is compulsory for
all Nigeria graduates mobilised for national service.
The course lasts for three (3) weeks and is
designed to achieve the following objectives:
i. To give Corps Members a better understanding of
the objectives of the NYSC Scheme and enable
them internalise its ideals
ii. To acquaint members with their environment in
their political, cultural, social and economic setting
iii. To prepare Corps members for their particular
roles in the Scheme.
iv. To equip them with practical social and leadership
skills that will enable them meet the challenges of
the service year ahead.
v. To inculcate in the Corps members the spirit of
national consciousness as a basic ingredient in
nation building.
vi. To instil discipline in the youths.
vii. To give Corps members adequate physical and
mental training.
viii. To imbibe them with the Spirit of collective
responsibility.
To achieve the above objectives the orientation
course opens with a swearing –in/opening ceremony
presided over by the executive Governor of the
State/FCT Minister. The oath of Allegiance and the
National Pledge are administered by the Chief
Judge of the State/FCT.
The orientation course content involves physical
training, drills, lectures on the people and tradition
of the host State, professional lectures for Corps
health personnel’s, lawyers, teachers and Skill
acquisition training e.t.c. Corps members
participate in social activities designed to create
opportunities for them to interact.
They participate in dance and drama competitions,
Miss NYSC and Mr Macho.
They also participate in inter platoon competitions
on football, volleyball, table tennis, cooking and
sanitation.
Corps members are also trained on Man ‘O’ War
activities leading to competitions on inter platoon
drills and tug of war.
PRIMARY ASSIGNMENT
At the end of the orientation, Corps members are
posted to their place of primary assignment. While
the NYSC Management takes into consideration the
areas of specialization of Corps members carrying
out the posting exercise, emphasis is placed in rural
posting in the areas of Agriculture, Health,
Education and Infrastructure.
It is expected that Corps members should accept
their posting and be agents of change contributing
towards the development of their host
communities.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
The Community Development Service (CDS) is
aimed at harnessing the skills, creativity and
innovativeness of Corps members. Corps members
are expected to identified the needs of their host
communities and mobilise members of their host
communities to embark on the projects.
Through this programme, many Corps members
were able to construct bridges, health care
centres, classroom blocks, market stalls, culverts
etc. they had also carried out projects like HIV
sensitization, adult literacy campaign, extra-mural
classes for students, road safety campaign etc.
Corps members participate actively in the
Millennium Development Goals (MDG) through the
War Against Poverty (WAP) programme of the
scheme.
WINDING –UP/PASSING-OUT
At the end of the service year (usually at the 12th
month) corps members are gathered in their
respective zones for assessment of the service year
and de briefing. It is the period when Corps
members present their final clearance letters from
their employers and submit same to their Zonal/
Local Government Inspectors.
Parade rehearsals are conducted in readiness for
the passing-out ceremony which is usually presided
over by the Executive Governor of the State.
During the ceremony, those with outstanding
performance during the service year are given
State Honours Award. For a Corps member to
merit an award, he/she must be outstanding in the
orientation course, primary assignment, community
development service and winding –up exercise.