Goals and Objectives of the National Youth Service Scheme (NYSC)

Goals and Objectives of the NYSC Scheme
As a developing country. Nigeria is further plagued by the
problems attendant upon a condition of under development,
namely; poverty. mass illiteracy, acute shortage of high skilled
manpower (coupled with most uneven distribution of the
skilled people that are available), woefully inadequate
socioeconomic infrastructural facilities, housing. Water and
sewage facilities, road, healthcare services, and effective
communication system.
Faced with these almost intractable problems, which were
further compounded by the burden of reconstruction after the
civil war, the government and people of Nigeria set for the
country, fresh goals, and objectives aimed at establishing
Nigeria as:
A united, strong and selfreliant nation
a great and dynamic economy
a land of bright and full opportunities for all citizens
The government and people of Nigeria are not aware that
sound and patriotic leadership is a precondition for the
rapid social and economic development of the country. As
a nation, Nigeria has been less fortunate in the kind of
leadership that emerge to govern the affairs of the country
in the period immediately after independence, a leadership
whose achievements notwithstanding, was none the less
ill-prepared. and generally not properly motivated to tackle
the problems of socioeconomic under development, in
the interest of the country as a whole.
There is no gain saying the fact that the future of any
country depends on the youths. The youths of Nigeria
acknowledge this fact, and have consistently laid claim to
the nation’s leadership.
While one may give credence to the saying that leaders
are born, not made, one must also concede to the fact
that leadership in a modem society requires a certain
degree of preparation and orientation before the
assumption of that role.
The universities and other institutions of higher learning
are normally expected to be training ground for future
leaders, except that, as we are all aware, these institutions
are first and foremost committed to the advancement of
learning and knowledge, training of people for good
citizenship. Little wonder that the products of these
institutions have been accused of being too elitist in their
outlook, of not identifying with the plight of common
man, and of inability to appreciate predicament of the vast
majority of our people who live in the rural areas.
It was the need to look beyond the immediate present and
to think of the future leadership of the country that
necessitated the mobilisation of certain categories of our
youths through the National Youth Service Corps Scheme.
This was done with a view to giving them the proper
guidance and orientation relevant to the needs of the
country. The National Youth Setvice Corps Decree No. 24
which has now been repealed and replaced by Decree 51
of 16th June 1993, was then formally promulgated.
The purpose of the scheme is primarily to inculcate in
Nigerian Youths the spirit of selfless service to the
community, and to emphasize the spirit of oneness and
brotherhood of all Nigerians, irrespective of cultural or
social background. The history of our country since
independence has clearly indicated the need for unity
amongst all our people, and demonstrated the fact that no
cultural or geographical entity can exist in isolation.