A storm of frustration and anger is brewing among Nigerian polytechnic graduates as they decry their exclusion from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme due to their part-time National Diploma (ND) status. Under the umbrella of Concerned Higher National Diploma (HND) Graduates/Students, these graduates have issued a strong rejection of the policy and are gearing up for widespread protests to demand their inclusion in the mandatory one-year national service.
The aggrieved graduates, who spoke to SaharaReporters, lamented that despite completing their HND on a full-time basis and fulfilling all necessary requirements—including JAMB regularization—they have been denied NYSC mobilization.
According to the affected graduates, while they were aware that part-time ND holders were traditionally ineligible for NYSC, the recent policy shift barring those who transitioned to full-time HND programs from serving has left them in a state of shock.
“Many of us graduated as far back as February 9, 2024, and despite meeting all service requirements, we have been unjustly sidelined. We sacrificed years of our lives, abandoned jobs, and endured hardships to earn our HND, believing we would serve our country—only to be told we are ineligible,” one of the affected graduates lamented.
They revealed that their mobilization has been entangled in bureaucratic red tape, with blame being tossed between the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), NYSC, and the Federal Ministry of Education.
NBTE Fights for Inclusion—NYSC Remains Adamant
The graduates disclosed that the NBTE had written to the NYSC Director-General in a letter dated January 8, 2024, emphasizing that mobilization should be based on HND qualifications, not ND status.
In the letter, sighted by SaharaReporters, NBTE’s Executive Secretary, Prof. Idris M. Bugaje, urged the NYSC to immediately mobilize the affected graduates. He stressed that full-time HND graduates should not be discriminated against based on their ND background, as the NBTE itself had approved part-time ND holders for admission into full-time HND programs.
“The basis for NYSC mobilization should be the HND, not the ND. The continued exclusion of full-time HND graduates is unfair, and if not addressed, it could trigger legal action from the National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS), which has already begun protesting nationwide,” Bugaje stated.
Despite these appeals, the NYSC has remained unmoved, insisting that any policy reversal requires approval from the Federal Ministry of Education.
Frustrated by the lack of response, the affected graduates have taken their fight to the streets. On January 6, 2025, they staged a peaceful protest at the NYSC Lagos State office in Surulere, decrying the “emotional, financial, and psychological distress” inflicted upon them.
“Many of us have been plunged into severe depression and anxiety. We left jobs and endured years of hardship believing we would serve. Now, we are being told our sacrifices were in vain. This policy is unjust and discriminatory,” another affected graduate stated.
They further argued that the policy violates the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended), specifically Section 42(1), which prohibits discrimination based on educational background, and Section 18(1), which mandates equal access to education and opportunities.
“By barring us from service because of how we obtained our ND, despite completing a full-time HND, the NYSC is violating our constitutional rights. This is an attack on polytechnic graduates, and we will not remain silent,” they asserted.
The aggrieved graduates have issued a desperate appeal to key government figures, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, and the National Assembly, urging them to intervene and ensure immediate policy reversal.
They demanded that the NYSC mobilize all affected graduates with Batch A, Stream 1, 2025, in line with their HND qualifications, warning that failure to do so would lead to “mass protests on an unprecedented scale.”
“We are not asking for favors; we are demanding our rights. Polytechnic graduates should not be treated as second-class citizens in their own country. If our cries continue to fall on deaf ears, we will be left with no choice but to intensify our protests until justice is served,” they warned.
As tensions escalate, all eyes are now on the government and the NYSC leadership. Will they bow to mounting pressure and reverse the controversial policy, or will they risk facing an all-out nationwide student uprising? The coming weeks will determine the fate of thousands of polytechnic graduates whose dreams of national service hang in the balance.
PIONEER NEWS 