As the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camps opened nationwide yesterday, Polytechnic graduates with Higher National Diplomas (HND) who lacked Industrial Training (IT) certification were turned away.
NYSC has implemented a new policy requiring IT certification for individuals seeking to complete their national service obligations, leading to the suspension of the screening process for some HND graduates.
LEADERSHIP previously reported that NYSC had mandated that HND graduates must present proof of completing their one-year mandatory IT certificate before they can be registered at their camps.
The policy stipulates that polytechnic and monotechnic graduates mobilized for Batch B Stream II must provide evidence of their one-year Industrial Training (IT) to be eligible to participate in the camp.
Our correspondent, who visited the NYSC Orientation Camp in Kubwa, Abuja, on Tuesday at 11 a.m., observed that registration was proceeding smoothly for corps members who had met all the requirements.
However, a few corps members who were turned away due to the lack of an IT certificate expressed frustration, noting that they had completed their degrees and were prepared to serve the country, only to be excluded because of the certification issue.
They expressed hope for a resolution that would enable them to meet their service obligations without facing penalties for unexpected documentation issues.
One of the corps members, who spoke anonymously to avoid public exposure, described the process as poorly timed, given that their peers were already serving without encountering this obstacle.
‘They are requesting the IT certificate; once you provide it and other documents, they instruct you to continue with the registration. This requirement has caused frustration among some corps members. Many of those without the IT certificate are upset, as you can see,’ she said.
A nursing mother, Mrs. Hauwa Collins, who arrived early to register, shared with our correspondent that the process was straightforward as long as all required documents were provided.
“I got to the camp before 10 a.m. When the screening began, I was asked to present my IT certificate, age declaration, and other documents. The verification process was quick, and I’ve already collected my kits and am close to completing my registration.
“However, some of our peers are frustrated. I spoke with a woman from Kaduna who was upset because she was turned away during screening,” she added.
At the time of this report, corps members were still arriving at the camp, leaving the situation of those affected uncertain. Our reporter was unable to gather further details due to stringent security measures restricting entry to non-corps members.
