One sign of a failing administration is when you see people that ought to correct perceived abnormalities in a system, decisively concentrating efforts in destroying institutions that they neither have a better alternative for, or can make it work better to achieve set goals.
How do you begin passing a bill to scrap the ONLY institution that brings the entire educational system of a nation together? A system that have continued to survive the fragmentation of the Nation?
If not for the NYSC scheme and considering the uneven distribution of factors of production in Nigeria, Oghenero who just graduated from Delsu will not voluntarily agree to go take up a teaching assignment in a faraway Zamfara village that seldom boosts of quality teachers in their rural schools.
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Also, it is on record that some of the few credible elections conducted in Nigeria abundantly sourced their organizers from the pool of the NYSC scheme.
And believe me, a large chunk of the Nigerian youths that passed through this scheme earned ideally earned their first salary from this scheme, which transcended to a sense of worthiness for them, whereas, so many are yet to find such an engagement that will earn them such a living till date.
The NYSC scheme has continued and remains the only institution that has continued to build in the mind of the Nigerian graduate a sense of national interest and togetherness. Is it not on record that most schools in far-reached States only get to see economic boom and witness quick educational heights during the influx of the NYSC participants?
In many organizations, agencies, parastatals and several other States and Federal civil commissions, these NYSC assignees continues to inject fresh ideas, technological innovations into their day to day undertakings.
Against all odds, the scheme continues to be a breeding ground for the discovery of talents hitherto not seen while in the academic environment because, at this level, participants are prepared for the market and on how to become self-sufficient and contribute to the development of their immediate communities, States and the nation as a whole.
At this junction, is it not imperative that the Acts that set up this scheme be revisited and the obsolete portions be expunged and then replaced with current trends? I once again, leave this with the relevant body saddled with this onerous responsibility (the legislative arm of government) to take a rather cursory view of this issue and make necessary adjustments, all in a bid to ensure that this scheme that have benefitted the Nigerian graduate and succeeded in bringing the National interest to bare be rescued.
