NYSC Exclusion: You’re killing our future, Kwara poly students tell FG

Polytechnic students in Kwara State, on Thursday, protested their alleged exclusion from the ongoing National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme in the country. They called on the federal government to immediately reverse the policy due to the hardship and trauma it had foisted on them. The affected students from Kwara State Polytechnic and their counterparts […]

Polytechnic students in Kwara State, on Thursday, protested their alleged exclusion from the ongoing National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme in the country.

They called on the federal government to immediately reverse the policy due to the hardship and trauma it had foisted on them.

The affected students from Kwara State Polytechnic and their counterparts from the federal polytechnic, Offa, marched through the Ahmadu Bello way in Ilọrin with various placards and solidarity songs.

Some of the placards displayed during the incident read ‘No to discrimination’, ‘Give us our rights’, and ‘Reverse the injustice’, among others.

They voiced strong opposition to their non mobilisation amidst the ongoing registration for the second stream of Batch C adding that the situation has stagnated their progress.

According to them, the government should reverse the policy as it had done with the 18 years entry into tertiary institutions to save their future and years of sacrifice in the face of the economic hardship in the country.

Addressing officials of the state NYSC that attended to them, Comrade Adelowo Tofunmi Busayo, said, “As Part-Time National Diploma students, we enrolled as Full-Time HND and did the JAMB regularization to enable us to serve as many of our colleagues had done.

“But suddenly without any prior notification, they said we could no longer serve.

“This is an injustice and we are pleading to all parties concerned to come to our aid. We have graduated since 2023 but have been unable to serve our fatherland.”

He said it was saddening that the federal government did not carry them along over an action that left their careers and years of struggle in the balance.

“We plead with the NYSC, minister of education, JAMB registrar and the national leadership of the NLC among other agencies and bodies of government that have connection with this issue to intervene.

“Some of our parents have started doubting our claims as students and the NLC particularly should help find a solution if it’s the new minimum wage for corpers that is the issue.

“The federal government reversed the policy barring 18 years old from being admitted into the university, this should not be an exception because of the implication on our future.

Busayo added that “Our careers are in danger and the majority of us cannot further with masters because of this policy. Our parents worked and toiled to get us up to this level amidst pain and misery. To serve our father’s land should not be a problem for us”.

For his part, Comrade Kehinde Tanimola who said he graduated three years ago, said they “have become like orphans.

“Some of us have fallen into depression as both the private and public sector employers are requesting for our NYSC certificates”.

He said “we are here as an apostle of peace” and pleaded with the state NYSC branch to help in escalating their position to the appropriate quarters.

“We however give them 24 hours to resolve this issue because we believe that time should be enough. This is not a threat but a plea. However if this is not done despite this peaceful action, then we move to our next line of action.

Responding, Mrs Adewuyi Omolabake who represented the state coordinator of NYSC, assured that they will submit their grievances to the appropriate quarters.

“Your grievances will not be killed or swept under the carpet, we will notify the appropriate quarters”, she added.