Tunji Alausa: NYSC mobilisation hurdles affecting full-time HND graduates are now resolved

The ministry of education says all full-time Higher National Diploma (HND) graduates will now be mobilised for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

Tunji Alausa, the minister for education, addressed some systemic nuances that prevented some graduates of full-time HND programmes from being mobilised for national service.

Polytechnic students earn a national diploma (ND) after two years of study and then proceed to obtain industrial work experience.

This is followed by a higher national diploma (HND) within the same or in a different institution after another two years of study.

However, many students who enrolled in a new institution as ND graduates for their HND have been shut out of the NYSC scheme.

This, sources tell TheCable, was because they had yet to be captured under a central NBTE portal despite having completed their HND.

In a statement to journalists in Abuja on Thursday, Folasade Boriowo, the press director at the ministry, quoted Alausa as saying that all full-time HND graduates are now automatically eligible for NYSC mobilisation.

The resolution, the PRO said, followed the minister’s discussion with the director-general of NYSC.

This development, the minister said, marks a breakthrough for full-time HND graduates previously excluded from the NYSC programme.

Alausa said the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has been directed to expedite the collation of data for eligible HND graduates to facilitate the mobilisation process.

He emphasised that NYSC mobilisation is strictly for those who completed a full-time HND programme.

The minister stressed that only full-time HND graduates would be mobilised, while those who did HND part-time remained ineligible.

He further disclosed that the newly created portal would ensure proper documentation of full-time HND graduates.

He added that this would also serve as the official database for NYSC mobilisation, addressing past challenges related to admission records.

The minister urged all eligible full-time HND graduates to take full advantage of this opportunity and proceed with their mobilisation without delay.

“In line with this, a circular has been sent to all rectors of polytechnics, instructing them to upload the necessary graduate data onto the newly created HND admission portal,” he said.