If you are a nursing graduate in Nigeria, you might be wondering if you can go for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) program.
The NYSC is a one-year mandatory service scheme for Nigerian graduates who are below the age of 30. The aim of the program is to foster national unity, integration and development among the youth.
Will I Go For NYSC After School of Nursing?
The answer to whether nursing graduates can go for NYSC is yes, but with some important considerations. Not all nursing qualifications are eligible for NYSC.
Nurses who have obtained a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Nursing are required to participate in the NYSC program. However, those who hold a Registered Nurse (RN) qualification are exempted from NYSC.
The reason for this exemption is that the RN qualification is not equivalent to a bachelor’s degree, which is the minimum requirement for NYSC.
The RN qualification is obtained after a three-year training program in a school of nursing, while the HND qualification is obtained after a four-year program in a polytechnic or college of health technology.
The HND qualification is also recognized by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), while the RN qualification is recognized by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN).
Therefore, if you are an RN holder and you want to go for NYSC, you will need to upgrade your qualification to a bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN) or any other related field.
You can do this by enrolling in a post-basic or direct-entry program in a university that offers nursing courses. This will take you another two to four years, depending on the program and the university.
However, if you are an HND holder and you want to go for NYSC, you will need to register with the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and obtain a JAMB registration number.
You will also need to submit your credentials and other documents to the NYSC portal during the online registration period. You will then be posted to a state of your choice or randomly assigned to serve in any state of the federation.
In conclusion, nursing graduates can go for NYSC, but only if they have an HND qualification or higher. RN holders are exempted from NYSC, but they can upgrade their qualification if they wish to participate in the program.
Going for NYSC as a nursing graduate has its benefits and challenges, but it can also be a rewarding and fulfilling experience.
