The National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) has called on the Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to address the ongoing exclusion of part-time students from the NYSC mobilization process.
Issuing a 10 days ultimatum notice to the NYSC to address the situation, the students body warned that it would not leave any stone unturned to mobilize its members across the country on a nationwide protest if the issue is not resolved.
During a press briefing held on Monday, 17 at the Federal Cooperative College, Eleyele, Ibadan, the capital city of Oyo state, the NAPS President, Comrade Oyewumi Festus, stated that the association has exhausted all diplomatic efforts to secure the mobilization of part-time students for NYSC.
He emphasized that the decision to deny these students the opportunity to participate in NYSC is unfair and contradicts the position of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and the Federal Ministry of Education.
“The NYSC scheme was designed to expose fresh graduates to diverse cultures, networking opportunities, and entrepreneurship development. However, polytechnic students, particularly part-time students, have been unfairly excluded,” Festus lamented.
He urged the Chief of Staff to the President, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, to intervene before students across the country mobilize for mass protests and a total lockdown of NYSC offices nationwide.
He also reaffirmed that the requirement for NYSC mobilization for polytechnic students is a Higher National Diploma (HND) full-time and not an Ordinary National Diploma (OND), urging the NYSC DG to take note.
NAPS however, commended the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, for his proactive measures in addressing security challenges on campuses.
The association expressed appreciation for improved safety in higher institutions and called for stronger collaboration between polytechnic students and the Nigeria Police Force to enhance campus security.
The association praised President Bola Tinubu’s administration acknowledging the government’s provision of palliatives and transportation support for students, which has helped alleviate financial burdens.
Additionally, the association lauded the president’s son, Mr Seyi Tinubu for his humanitarian contributions, including the donation of food items and ₦100 million to students affected by floods in the North East.
Recognizing the evolving global economy and industry demands, NAPS advocated for a comprehensive review of the polytechnic curriculum.
Festus emphasized the need for integrating modern technological skills such as renewable energy, e-commerce, digital marketing, data analytics, and artificial intelligence (AI) into academic programs.
He further called for reforms in teaching techniques, training methods, and learning environments to align with modern technological advancements.
According to him, these reforms would help produce self-reliant graduates and entrepreneurs, ultimately boosting employment rates and economic productivity.
In a similar development, the students body, in a strong stance against economic oppression, declared its opposition to the recent data tariff hike by MTN and other telecommunication companies operating in the country. NAPS pledged full support for the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in resisting the increment.
NAPS also reaffirmed its commitment to partnering with the government and relevant agencies to ensure progress in Nigeria’s education sector.
However, the association warned that it would not hesitate to take action if the demands of polytechnic students are ignored within the stipulated 10 days time noting that the future of polytechnic students after completing the mandatory HND program would not be allowed.
Odeyemi Boluwatife Rachael, the SUG Secretary General of the Cooperative College, Eleyele, Ibadan, Olushola Fawaz also of the same institution, and other representatives of students union government from other polytechnics in Oyo state who spoke to newsmen after the press conference, decried the challenges faced in buying data at high cost to engage in academic research works and other school assignments.
They called on the federal government to immediately prevail on the telecommunication companies to revert back to the old data rates which they complained of struggling with as the harsh economy was taking serious toll on all spheres of their lives on campus without respite.