NOUN Students Ask FG To Allow Graduates Participate In NYSC, Law School

Students of National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) have appealed to the Federal Government to allow them to participate in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and also admit Law graduates of the university into the Nigerian Law Schools.

The undergraduates, in a statement signed and issued by the coordinator of NOUN NYSC/LAW Saga, Segun Oyewale threatened that they would embark on mass protest should their demands be ignored.

Oyewale, a former Public Relations Officer of NOUN Students Forum, asked the Federal Government to implement NOUN Act that allows for the graduates of the institution to participate in NYSC and Law School.

He said it was an act of injustice that graduates of NOUN could not have the same rights, benefits and privileges like their mates in conventional federal owned universities.

According to him, “Statistically, we (NOUN students) are the ones paying highest amount of money as Federal University compared to other Federal Universities in the country; any thing about National Open University is always delayed unlike our mates from other universities.

“It is no more a news that the bill that allows National Open University Graduates to participate in NYSC Scheme/Law School has been  signed by President Muhammadu Buhari since December 04 2018. However, nothing has been done so far to implement it.

“The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) is a Federal Open and Distance  Learning institution accredited by NUC. The first of its kind in the West African sub-region. It is Nigeria’s largest tertiary institution in terms of student population. 

“We pay heavily to afford National Open University terms and conditions as directed by NUC but we are denied of certain things enjoyed by graduates of other tertiary institutions.

“I have seen a Nigerian graduate from National Open University of Benin serving in Nigeria, even with international treatment. I have also seen a graduate of NOUN that was denied of an employment due to lack of NYSC discharge certificate, it is not fair at all.

” We plead to the Federal Government to implement our mandate for NYSC and Law school bill which was signed into law on Dec 4 2018 to allow graduates of National Open University of Nigeria  to go for NYSC and Law School respectively.

“NOUN 2020 graduates must be mobilised together with the 2020 Batch A. 

“Failure to comply with this, we shall all match as the largest university in Nigeria in all the 36 States and make it known to the world that we have been treated as second class citizens by our Government and all the activities of the government will be disrupted through social media and peaceful protest,” the statement made available to AMILOADED reads.