The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has attributed the delay in the mobilisation of some polytechnic graduates for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to non-compliance with academic procedures by certain tertiary institutions.
Recent findings indicate that many graduates with Higher National Diploma (HND) qualifications from polytechnics across Nigeria have remained stranded for several months, and in some cases years, after completing their programmes while waiting to be mobilised for the mandatory national service scheme.
Some affected graduates had earlier blamed the delay on administrative bottlenecks within their institutions as well as the limited mobilisation quota allocated by the NYSC.
However, the Executive Secretary of the NBTE, Idris Bugaje, said the problem was largely due to institutions failing to follow established academic procedures and maintaining poor documentation of students’ records.
Bugaje disclosed this through the NBTE NYSC Desk Officer, Dauda Baba-Halal, during an interview with PUNCH Online on Sunday.
According to him, one of the major issues responsible for the delays is the failure of some institutions to enforce the compulsory one-year Industrial Training (IT) required after completing the National Diploma (ND) before students can proceed to HND programmes.
He explained that there has long been a policy mandating ND graduates to undertake a one-year Industrial Training before advancing to the HND level. However, some institutions reportedly violate the rule by admitting students directly into HND programmes immediately after they complete their ND.
“This policy has existed for a long time, but unfortunately, some institutions violate it by admitting their students into HND without allowing them to complete the mandatory one-year Industrial Training,” Bugaje said.
He noted that such violations often create complications during the verification process and ultimately affect the eligibility of graduates for mobilisation into the NYSC scheme.
“If a student proceeds to HND without completing the mandatory one-year Industrial Training, the NYSC will not mobilise that student because the academic progression is incomplete,” he added.
Bugaje also disclosed that the board has strengthened its verification process through the HND Admission Portal, which serves as a national database for students admitted into HND programmes.
According to him, the portal enables the NBTE to verify students’ academic records and ensure that proper admission procedures and academic progression have been followed.
He explained that the NBTE plays a regulatory role in overseeing technical and vocational education across polytechnics and similar institutions in Nigeria. Part of its responsibilities includes accrediting and approving ND and HND programmes offered by these institutions.
Bugaje stressed that only graduates from programmes accredited by the NBTE are eligible to be considered for mobilisation into the NYSC scheme.
He further clarified that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) is responsible only for admissions into National Diploma programmes and does not play any role in the mobilisation of graduates for the national service scheme.
The NBTE boss advised institutions experiencing mobilisation challenges to formally communicate such issues to the NBTE or the NYSC for clarification and possible resolution.
Education stakeholders say the situation has left thousands of polytechnic graduates uncertain about their future, as the delay in mobilisation often affects employment opportunities and career progression for affected students.
