The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has urged the National Youth Service Corps to allow Higher National Diploma holders who completed part-time throughout their National Diploma to serve their country.
NANS stated that students who finished their National Diploma (ND) programmes using the Daily Part-Time (DPP) mode and then enrolled in full-time Higher National Diploma (HND) programmes are being refused the opportunity to serve in the NYSC.
The group announced this in a statement made accessible to newsmen on Saturday by its Senate President, Afeez Babatunde Akinteye.
According to Akinteye’s statement, the affected students are being denied NYSC enrollment because of the “(P)” designation on their JAMB registration numbers, which indicates their part-time status during the ND programme.
He maintained that the “(P)” designation causes the NYSC portal to refuse their registration.
He expressed concern that this was preventing the affected pupils from participating in the necessary national duty.
While addressing, Akinteye stated that the impacted students had experienced distress and uncertainty.
He then took use of the opportunity to urge the federal minister of education to intervene in the problem immediately.
He urged the ministry to direct the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to work together to resolve the situation quickly.
Akinteye said, “We wish to bring urgent attention to a critical issue affecting students who completed their National Diploma (ND) programs under the Daily Part-Time (DPP) mode and subsequently enrolled in full-time Higher National Diploma (HND) programs.
“These students are being denied NYSC registration due to the “(P)” designation attached to their JAMB registration numbers, which signifies their part-time status during the ND program.
“This problem has arisen despite these students having completed the required JAMB regularization process.
“The “(P)” designation, which is a remnant of their part-time ND status, is causing the NYSC portal to reject their registration, thereby preventing them from participating in the mandatory national service.
“This has caused significant distress and uncertainty among the affected students, who have otherwise fulfilled all necessary criteria for NYSC registration.
“We appeal to the Ministry of Education to urgently intervene in this matter. It is imperative that directives be given to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and NYSC to collaborate and find a swift resolution.
“Specifically, we request that JAMB initiate a consolidation process to update the registration status of these students, reflecting their transition from Daily Part-Time ND to full-time HND. This update will ensure that their JAMB registration numbers are accepted by the NYSC portal.
“Furthermore, we call on the Ministry of Education to instruct the NYSC to recognize the unique situation of these students and facilitate their registration.
“This can be achieved by overriding the system’s rejection of the “(P)” designation for students who have progressed to full-time HND programs. Ensuring that these students are not unfairly excluded from the NYSC program is crucial for their academic and professional futures.
“NANS stands in solidarity with the affected students and will continue to advocate on their behalf until a satisfactory resolution is achieved.
“We urge the Ministry of Education to act promptly to address this critical issue and ensure a just outcome for all affected students.”