Opinion
Making The NYSC A Worthwhile Scheme
One of the things that fascinated me about the NYSC Scheme is the respect accorded the corpers by the government, communities, the institutions where they served and the society at large. The corpers were regarded as “Federal Government Pickin” during the one year of compulsory national service. I was fascinated by this name that when I was growing up, I longed for a day when I would be referred to as “federal government pickin”.
Some time ago I reflected on what really intoxicated me about the nick name “federal government pickin”. My conclusion was that the federal government was an octopus, a big umbrella, big enough to shelter and protect these corpers wherever they may be serving. And, indeed, the one year was really adventurous and enjoyable. They were pampered by this octopus called the federal government as they give themselves in service to their fatherland. So the real god-father of the NYSC is the federal government.
As the god-father of the scheme, we expect the federal government to play some catalytic roles to make the objective of the scheme a reality. The federal government actually realised this when it said at the 2009 NYSC Merit Award that it will review the NYSC scheme. This is a welcome development and we now expect action not promises. In this direction, I would propose that the follow issues should be included in the review.
After over thirty six years of operation, the objectives of the scheme should be reviewed with a view to making it more relevant to the needs of today. The social fabric of our society has broken down and there is urgent need to rebuild it. Our core values of honesty, respect for others and the values of democracy such as sportsmanship in defeat and magnanimity in victory, tolerance, et cetera are critical for embedding democracy in our body politics. The Youth Corp scheme is a veritable tool for achieving this in a very short time if properly managed. How do we use them to achieve this critical national integration need?
The one month orientation period should be extended to two months. During the orientation, one month should be devoted to teaching the Youth Corp members’ citizen and leadership education as well as democratic values.
Again, the one day a week community development aspect of the scheme should now be devoted to teaching Primary and post primary school children about citizen and leadership education, as well as democratic values, with specially designed scheme to suit our critical needs in the proper education and reorientation of our youths.
If a youth is required to serve his or her country compulsorily for one year, then the system must provide minimum level of comfort for the youth. Accommodation is one such minimum requirement. Where does the NYSC expect the corpers to finance their accommodation needs during the one year service. Is it from the nine thousand naira (N9,000) allawi when rent for a room in most state capitals is going for between N3,000 to N4,000 a month. During the current service year, my three children did their service and I was required to make one year rent for each of them. Why should the parent bear the burden of compulsory service? This need to be captured in the proposed review to relieve parents of unnecessary financial burden. At least, the scheme should pay a subsidy of N50,000 to each youth corp member to cover own accommodation arrangement.
Medicare is also on critical cost area for the youth corp members during their service period. The youth corper should enjoy free medical treatment in government owned hospitals or health institutions during their service.
One of the best ways to teach value reorientation is to demonstrate it in practice. One of the sore issues that have bedeviled the NYSC Scheme is the glaring malpractices in the administration of posting of youth corp members to their states of orientation and primary places of assignment. There is no transparency in the posting of youth corpers. If the policy makers are listing, the posting of corp members every year is bedeviled by mago mago. How do we expect them to do otherwise when they assume responsibilities to serve the nation? They say charity must begin at home. If the scheme is designed to teach the core values of transparency, justice and fairness, then, why do we in practice teach them the direct opposite? This must change and this must go with our chequered fifty years of nationhood.
Another very important facility that will support the national youth service and bring out the best in our youths is cheap and affordable transport system. Railway system still remains the most affordable, convenient and comfortable means of transport across distant places. Since non is currently available, I propose the payment of transport subsidy by the NYSC scheme or the compulsory payment of same by the employer.
The NYSC scheme still remains a veritable tool for rebuilding our national values. The attainment of this goal in the next decade or so is, however, dependent on the proper administration of the scheme. These same national values of justice, fairness and transparency must be demonstrated in the administration of the scheme. There is no better way of teaching these core national values.
Uche S. B. Osiago lives in Port Harcourt.
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