The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Southwest, has tackled the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) over the latter’s denial of graduates of Science Laboratory Technology from Polytechnic from participating in the one-year national service.
NANS said the “rejections, purportedly due to the absence of Professional Registration Certification with the National Institute for Science Laboratory Technology (NISLT), have caused significant distress among our members.”
A statement signed by NANS Coordinator, Comrade Alao John; NANS Secretary General, Comrade Sanni Sulaimon and NANS PRO, Comrade Bamigboye Peter Oluwadamilola, a copy obtained by Osun Defender, urged the leadership of NYSC to rescind their decision.
According to the statement, graduates with a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Science Laboratory Technology (SLT) from polytechnics across the country were refused registration at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camps.
The statement further said, “It is both alarming and disheartening that such a development has taken place, especially when the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), the body responsible for regulating polytechnic education in Nigeria, has made it clear that professional body registration is not a prerequisite for graduation. It is equally disconcerting that the NYSC, a body established to promote national unity and integration, would enforce a policy that has not been cleared or approved by the NBTE.
“We, the leadership of NANS Southwest, are gravely concerned about the implications of this policy. Not only does it threaten the future and careers of our members, but it also undermines the integrity of our educational system.
“Polytechnic graduates have undergone rigorous training and have met all academic requirements set by their institutions and the NBTE. It is unjust and unacceptable to deny them their right to national service based on conditions that were never part of their academic journey.
“In light of this, we urgently call on the NYSC to immediately rescind this decision and allow all HND graduates, particularly those in Science Laboratory Technology, to participate in the ongoing orientation exercises across the country. We believe that professional registration, if necessary, should be pursued post-NYSC, and not used as a tool to hinder the mobilization process.
“We implore you, Sir, to act swiftly in rectifying this situation before the other side of us is revealed. We trust in your ability to uphold fairness and justice in the discharge of your duties and are confident that you will take the necessary steps to ensure that our members are not unjustly treated”
Anuoluwapo Lebi is an ethical and aplomb journalist, zealous for good and ethical journalism practices. His love for investigative journalism is divine and has carved his interest in other topics, including crime, politics, campus, culture, science, community development, and creative writing.
