Let Us Reform or Disband NYSC

The National Youths Service Corps, established in 1973, will be 50 years in 2023, when a new government will come into power, Anthony Kila argues that the idea of governing Gen Z with rules and schemes invented in 1973 is simply ridiculous and destined to fail

Dear Readers

As politicians and the media guide us to and through the maze of possibilities, permutations and speculations around 2023 as a prelude to new a beginning in Nigeria, here is an item for discussion and a proposed agenda for those planning to lead in 2023: Let us radically reform or disband the National Youths Service Corp (NYSC). An aside, if you are over 50 years old today or younger but familiar with the history of Nigeria, I know what you are thinking and I can guess your facial expression seeing Kila writing about NYSC. Yes, I am laughing too so please feel free to enjoy your laughter.

The most obvious reason to reform or disband the NYSC is that of safety but that is a mere but crucial topical issue. The security situation in the country has muffled the sense of adventure in potential corps members and transformed the feel and aroma of NYSC into anxiety. Thus arrival of the NYSC call in Nigeria of today makes parents and guardians of young certified learned adults close to being called to join the NYSC pray and fast that their young ones are not sent to volatile areas of the country. To top up their fasting and praying, many Nigerians resolve to looking for who can influence their postings. Can you in knowledge and conscience blame them? The link between their anxiety and acts of nepotism and corruption does not need much explanation.

Let us remind ourselves, the NYSC is mandatory one year scheme for graduates who finish their tertiary education under the age of 30 years. A sort of conscription for graduates that was created in 1973 with a military decree as part of efforts to reconstruct, reconcile and rebuild Nigeria after the civil war. Part of its main aim was to be a vehicle that will foster development of common ties amongst the youths of Nigeria and to promote national unity. Decree No. 24 was the establishment decree.

Regardless of what you think of the NYSC, I think it is safe to argue that the profile, configuration and mode of operation of the organisation would be rather different if conceived under a democratic process and not as a response to a dramatic situation like war. Military decrees and all forms of executive orders are generally swift but rarely capable of taking account of sensibilities and sustainability. A democratic country should not be guided by decrees and civil society should as much as possible review laws and practices conceived under military and emergency duress.

At best, the idea of the NYSC is to give young graduates a chance to discover parts of the country, people and cultures of the country alien to them with the aim of making them more Nigerian. This seems laudable but after a closer look, a question pops up: why is it the business of the government to force young Nigerians to discover other parts of Nigeria? The mindset that conceives such idea is mindset that prioritises identity over functionality. It is a wrong and lazy way of thinking. Nigerians do not mistrust themselves because they do not know each other. Nigerians mistrust themselves because those in power fail to provide enough services and opportunities for all but insist on rationing insufficient services and opportunities through nepotism, tribalism and other forms of favouritism at the detriment of merit.

Classroom is the place to learn about people, places and culture. If travel one must, then let the national tourism industry grow. Let state governments focus on making their states attractive to the curious, needy and adventurous. Let the Federal Government make sure that the constitution reign supreme so that any Nigerian can be himself or herself within the provisions of the law in any part of Nigeria.

In practice, the NYSC is a very widely used means to substitute for large deficiencies of the country like teaching. It is shockingly amazing how we as a people fail to see the dangerous error in allowing youth corpers to teach in our classrooms instead of insisting on professionally trained teachers who are in the profession because they want to. I have an information for you: It was one thing to know Maths, Economics, Biology or Literature, it is another thing to how to teach it. The fact that we do not consider this simple fact is a grave indictment of our consideration for education and one of the strong reasons why our educational system is failing.

Times have changed and a lot has happened since May 1973 when the NYSC was invented. The easiest thing to do is to scrap the scheme. We have two years to think of what to do with it. By 2023 when a new government will come into power and the NYSC will be 50 years old, many of those billed to serve will probably be young adults born in 2000. We are talking generation Z here. The idea of governing Gen Z with rules and schemes invented in 1973 is simply ridiculous and destined to fail.

My fellow trained teachers know curriculums are currently being modified to suit Gen Z. There is no point saying they are spoilt, strange or overpampered, they are simply different. Evolution is real, we have the fortune of misfortune of dealing with a new breed of human species born into a digital and highly interconnected world. Everything is optional for them. Coercion is an aberration they don’t get; sanctions and threats are concepts alien and empty to them. They are born to be motivated, incentivised and recognised.

The easiest thing to do is to scrap the scheme. We have two years to think of what to do with it. If we do not want to disband the NYSC here is an option: Let us make NYSC optional and specialised. Let it be a full voluntary military service that allows only those who want to join do so for one year and with that they get the option to, depending on their interest and ability, join the armed forces, custom, police and other security services as trained graduates.

QUOTE

At best, the idea of the NYSC is to give young graduates a chance to discover parts of the country, people and cultures of the country alien to them with the aim of making them moreNYSC Nigerian. This seems laudable but after a closer look, a question pops up: why is it the business of the government to force young Nigerians to discover other parts of Nigeria? The mindset that conceives such idea is mindset that prioritises identity over functionality. It is a wrong and lazy way of thinking

*Prof. Kila is Centre Director at CIAPS Lagos.