The Federal Government has debunked widespread reports suggesting that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme would be extended to two years.
The rumour, which circulated across social media and online platforms last week, had sparked confusion among stakeholders and prospective corps members regarding the future of the one-year mandatory service.
Reacting to the reports, the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, clarified during a convocation lecture at Lagos State University (LASU) on Tuesday that he was misquoted.
The minister explained that the idea he had suggested was the creation of a special teacher corps for graduates of National Colleges of Education, not an extension of the NYSC service year.
“Now, there was never a time that I said youth service should be extended to two years. I never said that,” he said.
The minister clarified that his proposal was aimed at addressing the shortage of teachers in rural areas. He suggested that a voluntary, optional teacher corps could be established under the NYSC to send teachers to underserved areas for two years.
“We are training many graduates from National Colleges of Education, but there aren’t enough jobs for them. This imbalance between supply and demand leads to challenges. Rural areas suffer from a lack of teachers in subjects like mathematics, science and English,” Alausa added.
The minister also revealed that the government is conducting an audit of teachers employed by Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) in unity schools and plans to integrate qualified PTA teachers into the federal civil service.