ABUJA, FCT– The National Universities Commission (NUC) has formally announced a pending evaluation of the policy leaving out graduates of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme.
The Executive Secretary of the NUC, Abdullahi Ribadu, disclosed the organized intervention following a top-level appeal from the Chancellor of NOUN and the Oba of Benin, Ewuare II.
The relocation marks a possible juncture for countless NOUN graduates who have actually long advocated for equivalent treatment with their counterparts from conventional “brick-and-mortar” universities.
Addressing the “Age Characteristics”
Historically, NOUN graduates were left out from the one-year necessary service mostly because the institution’s group consisted of working specialists well above the 30-year age limit for NYSC mobilisation. Nevertheless, Ribadu kept in mind that the “dynamics have actually altered” significantly in the last few years.
The NUC chief pointed out that NOUN is progressively attracting younger students who complete their degrees well before the age of 30.
Under the existing structure, these qualified young Nigerians are provided exemption certificates rather than being mobilised for service, a situation the Oba of Benin referred to as “unequal treatment.”
Strategic Engagement with NYSC
Executive Secretary Ribadu ensured that the NUC would start formal discussion with the management of the NYSC to update the mobilisation structure.
The goal is to develop a policy that acknowledges the polyvalent nature of modern open-distance learning while making sure that age-eligible graduates are not disadvantaged in the labour market.
“I want to ensure you, at NUC, we will engage with NYSC to see what policy changes can be made,” Ribadu specified, acknowledging that the lack of mobilisation typically produces a barrier for NOUN graduates looking for certain public sector functions.
Advocacy from the Throne
The push for reform got significant momentum following the Chancellor’s speech, where the Oba of Benin emphasised that education ought to be a tool for nationwide combination.
He argued that allowing more youthful NOUN graduates to serve along with their peers in orientation camps throughout the 36 states would even more the university’s objective of addition and national change.
This advancement coincides with the current statement that 56 prisoners and over 24,000 other trainees are set for the university’s 15th convocation.
Read likewise: Redemption through understanding: 56 prisoners to finish at NOUN’s 15th convocation.
By attending to the NYSC bottleneck, the NUC intends to solidify NOUN’s status as a top-tier choice for young Nigerians looking for flexible yet totally recognized higher education.
Need to the negotiations succeed, the 2026/2027 scholastic sessions could see the first batch of NOUN graduates donning the iconic NYSC khaki, a relocation that would bridge the long-standing gap in between distance learning and standard university experiences in Nigeria.