NBTE Blames Polytechnics for NYSC Mobilization Delays, Cites Policy Violations
The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has squarely placed responsibility for the prolonged delays in mobilizing graduates for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme on polytechnics and other tertiary institutions. This administrative bottleneck has left countless Higher National Diploma (HND) graduates from polytechnics nationwide stranded for months, and in some severe instances, for years after completing their academic programmes.
Graduates Stranded Due to Institutional Failures
Affected graduates have consistently pointed to administrative inefficiencies within their institutions and the limited mobilization quotas under the NYSC scheme as primary causes. However, the NBTE has shifted the blame directly to the institutions themselves, asserting that the delays predominantly stem from their failure to adhere to established academic procedures and inadequate documentation of student records.
The Executive Secretary of the NBTE, Professor Idris Bugaje, communicated this position through the board's NYSC Desk Officer, Dauda Baba-Halal. He elaborated that many institutions neglect to enforce the mandatory one-year Industrial Training requirement that must be completed after the National Diploma (ND) before students can advance to the HND programme.
Violation of Mandatory Industrial Training Policy
Bugaje expressed concern that some polytechnics blatantly violate this long-standing policy by admitting students directly into HND programmes immediately after finishing their ND, bypassing the crucial Industrial Training phase. This practice creates significant verification issues and ultimately affects the eligibility of these graduates for NYSC mobilization.
"This policy has existed for a considerable time, yet regrettably, certain institutions continue to violate it by admitting students into HND without ensuring they complete the mandatory one-year Industrial Training," Bugaje stated. He emphasized that if a student proceeds to HND without fulfilling this requirement, the NYSC will not mobilize that individual because the academic progression remains incomplete.
Enhanced Verification Through HND Admission Portal
To address these systemic issues, the NBTE has strengthened its verification process via its specialized HND admission portal. This portal serves as a national database for all students admitted into HND programmes across the country. Institutions are mandated to upload comprehensive records of their HND students, enabling the board to verify academic histories and confirm that proper admission procedures were meticulously followed.
Bugaje clarified the distinct roles within the education system, noting that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) is solely responsible for admissions into the National Diploma programme and plays no part in the mobilization of graduates for the NYSC scheme.
Call for Formal Communication and Resolution
The NBTE executive secretary advised institutions experiencing mobilization challenges to formally communicate such issues to either the NBTE or NYSC authorities for proper clarification and resolution. He stressed that the NBTE maintains a regulatory and verification role to ensure that only properly qualified graduates from accredited programmes are mobilized for national service.
"Only graduates from programmes that have received accreditation from the NBTE are eligible to be considered for mobilization into the NYSC scheme," Bugaje firmly reiterated, underscoring the board's commitment to maintaining academic standards and procedural integrity within technical education institutions across Nigeria.
