10/10/2015
For All NOUN Students- On NYSC
The following report is a part of the discussion of the meeting between the leadership of National Open University Students Association of Nigeria(NOUSAN) and the School management on NYSC issue, which was held at the NOUN Headquarters, Victoria Island, Lagos, on the 22nd of September 2015.
Sequel to that meeting, we have made an earlier report on the outcome of the meeting, as your interest(our fellow students) is our paramount concern and we promise to give you effective representation and feedback. As promised, this report will be focused on NYSC discussion NOUSAN had with the school management. We implore all students to read through this article carefully and be guided.
Discussion:
At the meeting, we (NOUSAN) decided to ask, based on the agitation of our students, why NOUN students are not being shortlisted for the NYSC program in Nigeria, as it amount to discrimination and desolateness, since we form part of the Nigerian students. The management explained that the agitation of the students is a misconception of the NYSC idea.
First, they said the law only permits organizations to demand for NYSC certificate, it does not matter which. The NYSC certificate is broken into 3;
1. Certificate of National Service.
2. Certificate of Exemption.
3. Certificate of Exclusion.
These NYSC certificates, backed by law, shall be accepted by all organisations in Nigeria, and no organisation will refuse any of the above mentioned NYSC certificates.
In Open University, all graduating students are issued a NYSC Certificate of Exemption, which is equivalent to all NYSC certificates issued to students in conventional universities. We told the management, that despite the exemption certificate, our students who merited the service based on thier constitutional rights, as provided for by the NYSC Act, which stipulates that students(below 30 years of age) in any institution of higher learning, which NOUN is one, should be given the privilege of the national service to their dear country by the Nigeria Government, as it will promote oneness and give NOUN students sense of belonging as well.
Based on the above reasons given, the management opinionated that our students are not being shortlisted for the scheme at the moment because; the NYSC program accommodates over 100,000 students from about 100 universities all over Nigeria for service yearly. These students are given infrastructures like the orientation camps and Corpers' lodges. National Open University alone produces over 50,000 graduates yearly, due to it's expanded and Open style of education. 50,000 students produced by only one university will increase the number of students the NYSC program can accommodate from 100,000 to 150,000, more than half of it's current figure. There would be need to expand the orientation camps and orientation facilities, corpers' lodges, etc. All these will cost a lot of planning, funding, and ex*****on.
The Open University alone can produce more than half of the number of graduates that 50 universities combined, can produce in one academic year. Since such is the case, then it would be necessary to expand expand the current infrastructures and facilities, enhance adequate security of students, provide for shelter/accommodation for the students and majorly, the provision of consistent payment of students allowances. It would be inappropriate for NYSC to shortlist Open University students without securing our lives, without providing shelter for our students in extreme weather conditions in some parts of the country, without making provising for proper funds, so Open University corpers would not be owed their allowances while they are serving their country.
Therefore, the Federal Government, based on the pressure from our school management, directed the NYSC Director-General to issue all Open University students NYSC Certificates, since it was never the students fault for not being shortlisted for the service. The management also added that NOUN was not designed for Open University students to serve initially, as the institution was initially created for workers and aged class, but due to the necessity to make education more accessible to all, Open University then decided to admit below the age limit and non-workers.
The Management, however assured that, the Federal Government are working tirelessly to expand facilities, re-organise and adequately provide security, and to build adequate infrastructures, to accommodate qualified Open University students for the scheme on the long run. It took years to build facilities to accommodate the over 100,000 students of the conventional universities being accommodated currently by the NYSC, it will take some time to provide for almost double that number.
On this note, we implore all our fellow students to see reason with us and the school management, as efforts are being made to see that all these obstacles becomes history.
National Open University Students Association of Nigeria(NOUSAN) has however resolved to petition the Federal Government to mount more pressure on the NYSC Commission, so as to speeden the process of accommodating Open University students for the One Year service program, up.
We appeal to all students to desist from any form of violence and publications that may tarnish the image of our school in the public eyes, while all complaints should be forwarded through the following NOUSAN leadership numbers for easy resolve;
+2347033865731 , +2348064006872 , +2348091713658 , +2348033929097 .
NOUSAN wishes all the students best of luck in their exams, and further appeals to all students to study adequately, as we will back the management in the war against all form of malpractices. Your support and cooperation is what NOUSAN needs for our students' pressing needs to be catered for. Together we stand, divided we fall.
God bless NOUSAN!
God bless NOUN!!
God bless Nigerian Students!!!
God bless Nigeria!!!!
God bless us all!!!!!
