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Polytechnic graduates protested at the Lagos NYSC secretariat over a proposed policy excluding HND graduates with part-time ND from service. They called the policy discriminatory and urged the NYSC Director General and federal authorities to intervene. NYSC assured them the issue was being addressed at the highest level.

Polytechnic graduates gathered at the NYSC secretariat in Lagos on Monday to protest a proposed policy that could exclude full-time HND holders with part-time ND qualifications from participating in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme. The policy has sparked concerns of discrimination, as registration for Batch C second-stream mobilisation began the same day.

The protesters, carrying placards with messages like “Say No to Discrimination in NYSC” and “Equal Rights for All,” expressed frustration over the potential implementation of the exclusionary policy. Speaking on behalf of the group, Majaro Temitope, a graduate of Yaba College of Technology, highlighted the struggles many students face while pursuing part-time ND programs, questioning why this should affect their service eligibility.

The graduates revealed that they had previously reached out to relevant authorities, including the NYSC Director-General and the Ministry of Education, but had received no response. They pleaded for immediate intervention, emphasizing the urgency as registration had already commenced.

A representative from the Education Rights Campaign, Adebola Osunfunrewa, described the policy as a reflection of systemic issues in Nigeria's education sector, noting that it unfairly penalizes students eager to serve their country.

Responding to the protest, NYSC Lagos Coordinator Christiana Salwang, represented by Assistant Director Ehimuenma Itohan, assured the graduates that their concerns had been forwarded to the national headquarters. She urged the protesters to remain patient, emphasizing that the matter was under review and that the NYSC would act by established guidelines.