The exclusion of Higher National Diploma (HND) students from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme due to missing Industrial Training (IT) certificates has continued to provoke a surge of reactions.
It will be recalled that the screening process for some HND graduates was recently halted for failing to provide evidence of completion of their one-year mandatory IT.
The policy mandated that graduates of polytechnics and mono-technics who have been mobilised for Batch B, Stream II must provide evidence of the mandatory one-year IT as a requirement to participate in the camp.
As the debate continues, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), on its part, advised polytechnic students to direct their grievances regarding the non-mobilization of some HND students for the NYSC to the appropriate authorities.
JAMB’s Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, clarified that the Board does not oversee the admission of HND students and, therefore, has no role in their mobilization for the NYSC.
Oloyede, who expressed surprise that JAMB is being targeted by the association on this issue, described the action as stemming from a misunderstanding of the Board’s mandate.
However, students and educators have expressed concerns, calling for sanctions against schools that admitted students without the required IT certificates.
One of the affected students, Collins Ebuka, urged the government to sanction the rectors, as they admitted students without the mandatory IT certificate.
“If they don’t have IT certificates, it means they couldn’t have completed their HND since the IT certificate is a prerequisite for the HND. The rectors of the schools that admitted and graduated these students should be questioned and sanctioned,” he said.
On her part, a student of Kaduna Polytechnic, who identified herself as Habiba, said it is unjust for the NYSC to sanction students for mistakes made by the schools.
“When the school makes a mistake, it doesn’t make sense to send students home because of an IT certification issue. Instead, they should allow these students to serve and mandate the certification requirement for future batches, so they can be better prepared,” she said.
Meanwhile, a graduate of Mass Communication, who is awaiting his service, Evelyn Kula, urged those pursuing their HND to complete the one-year IT after their ND.
“ND students are required to undergo IT training before enrolling in the HND programme. That’s how it used to be. If students ignore this requirement and the school bends the rules, both should face the consequences,” he said.
A parent, Isaac Iku, has placed the blame on the rectors of polytechnics, asserting that both students and polytechnics should suffer the consequences.
“The rectors of the affected polytechnics should be sanctioned accordingly. It is not only the graduates who should suffer from such negligence or disregard for due process.”
