Student Affairs Officers (SAOs) / NYSC Schedule Officers of Corps Producing Institutions: A Major Stakeholder in NYSC Mobilization Process
July 22, 2008 | Ayorinde Oduroye (Archives)
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STUDENT AFFAIRS OFFICERS (SAOs)/NYSC SCHEDULE OFFICERS OF CORPS PRODUCING INSTITUTIONS: A MAJOR STACKHOLDER IN NYSC MOBILIZATION PROCESS
A PAPER PRESENTED BY
MR. AYORINDE P. ODUROYE, BA, Dip. DP, M.ED.
DEPUTY REGISTRAR/SAO, BABCOCK UNIVERSITY
ILISHAN – REMO, OGUN STATE
AT THE
ON
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2008
AT
ROCKVIEW HOTEL, ABUJA
Protocol
The Director General, NYSC – Brig. Gen. Bomoi - ablely represented by Pastor Mrs. S.I.E. Omokri (Director, Corps Mobilization)
Directors, State Co-ordinators
National Directorate Headquarters Officials
Fellow Student Affairs Officers/NYSC Schedule Officers
Men and women of the Press
Ladies and Gentlemen
All other protocol observed.
INTRODUCTION
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) is a one year mandatory program for all Nigerian graduates (HND, BA, B.Sc.) not above 30 years of age whether locally or foreign trained. It was established by Decree 24 of 22nd May, 1973 during the reign of Gen Yakubu Gowon, the then Head of States and the founding Decree has been replaced with Decree 51 of 16th June, 1993.
AIM OF THE SCHEME
The Scheme was established to
Ø promote the ideals of national unity and a sense of common destiny among Nigerians
Ø eliminate mutual suspicion and mistrust that has been engendered by the civil war.
OBJECTIVES
a. to promote unity and national integration,
b. raise the moral tone of the youths by exposing them to higher ideals of nation building,
c. promote even national economic, development/mobility of labour into less developed areas,
d. encourage employers to employ Nigerians irrespective of their background or ethnic origin.
STAGES OF MOBILIZATION AND DEPLOYMENT PROCESS
a. Briefing of prospective corps members
b. Collation and processing of corps members’ data by various schools and NYSC
c. Display of the data in all institutions to identify/correct error before deployment is carried out.
NYSC FOUR CARDINAL PROGRAMMES
1. Orientation/induction period
2. Primary assignment i.e. posting to an employer
3. Community development activities
4. Winding up/passing-out exercise
13 STEPS OF MOBILIZATION TIME-TABLE
1. Pre-mobilization Workshop
2. Briefing of Corps Producing Institutions
3. Submission of Master list by Corps Producing Institution
4. Actions on Master list by Mobilization Officers i.e. vetting.
5. Registration of Foreign trained Graduates
6. Actions by Computer Section
7. Submission of preliminary print-outs to Corps Producing Institutions by NYSC
8. Return of corrected print-outs by Institutions to NYSC National Headquarters
9. Action by computer on coding/Correction at the NYSC National Headquarters
10. Sorting and packaging
11. Delivery of call-up letters to Institutions
12. Collection of call-up letters by foreign trained graduates
13. Orientation course for the specific Batch
WHO IS A STAKEHOLDER?
A stakeholder is any person or Organization who can be positively or negatively impacted by, or cause an impact on the success of a project.
The NYSC Stakeholders can be divided into two which are:
a. Corporate Stakeholders
A corporate stakeholder is a party who affects, or can be affected by, the company's actions. Some of the Corporate Stakeholders of NYSC are:
1. Federal Ministry of Education
2. Ministry of Youth Development
3. Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB)
4. National Universities Commission (NUC)
5. Corps producing institutions
6. National Board of Technical Education (NABTE)
b. Individual Stakeholders
Some of the Individual Stakeholders of NYSC are:
1. Graduates of various qualified institutions
2. Heads of various Corps producing institutions e.g Vice Chancellors, Presidents, Provosts, etc.
3. Parents or guardians of corps members
4. Head of State and President of the Republic of Nigeria
5. Ministers, Senators, Governors etc
6. Student Affairs Officers (SAOs)/NYSC Schedule Officers
WHO IS THE GREATEST AMONG ALL?
The Student Affairs Officers (SAO)/NYSC Schedule Officers.
WHY?
The SAOs/NYSC Schedule Officers are the front desk officers who have direct interactions with the corps members; they can make or mar the project. From this perspective came the title of this presentation “Student Affairs Officers (SAOs) /NYSC Schedule Officers: A Major Stakeholder in the Mobilization Processes”. You are at the center of the NYSC Mobilization process, you are important and a force to be reckoned with.
Let me digress a little bit to what the bible says about a bishop as stated in Titus 1:7-9 “for a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful work as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.” In essence you are the “Bishops” of NYSC Mobilization Process. You are expected to have all the virtue mentioned above and also to teach others the processes of NYSC.
In 2 Timothy 2: 15, it says “study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. As SAOs/NYSC Schedule Officers, looking at the type of work we do and the calibers of personalities we interact with internally and externally we need to improve ourselves, attend seminars and workshops regularly, and go for short or long term training for improvement and greater responsibilities. Computer literacy is a must for all Officers in charge of mobilization in corps producing institutions and the NYSC Directorate.
WHO SHOULD BE A SAO/NYSC SCHEDULE OFFICER?
A man or woman that cannot be bought or sold. In the statement of Ellen G. White, a veteran Adventist Educator, she says “The greatest want of the world is the want of men (and women) who will not be bought or sold, men who in their inmost souls are true and honest, men who do not fear to call sin by its right name, men whose conscience is as true to duty as the needle to the pole, men who will stand for the right though the heavens fall. Ellen G. White (1958) p.57.
A man or woman of integrity. Integrity is the basing of one's actions on an internally consistent framework of principles. One is said to have integrity to the extent that everything one does and believes is based on the same core set of values. While those values may change, it is their consistency with each other and with the person's actions that determine the person's integrity. The concept of integrity is directly linked to responsibility in that implementation spawning from principles is designed with a specific outcome in mind.
A man or woman that has self-confidence. Self-confidence is having confidence in oneself when considering a capability. Confidence is generally described as a state of being certain, either that a hypothesis or that a chosen course of action is the best or most effective given the circumstances. Confidence can be described as a subjective, emotional state of mind.
A man or woman that is diligent in his/her work. Proverbs 22: 29 says “Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.” That is the promise of God for any SAO/NYSC Schedule Officer that is diligent.
A man or woman who is transparent. He/she should not get involved in fraudulent practices being perpetuated by students, teachers, university administrators and some parents.
All the characters mentioned above are not the result of accident; they are not due to special favors or endowments of Providence. A noble character is the result of self-discipline, of the subjection of the lower to the higher nature – the surrender of self for the service of love to God and man. As SAOs and Schedule Officers there is the need to be faithful and steadfast,.
QUALITY AS WATCH WORD FOR SAOs AND SCHEDULE OFFICERS
As a major stakeholder in the NYSC Mobilization Process, Quality should be the watchword. What is quality, it is “attainment of a flawless product”, “attainment of an exceptionally high standards” This introduced the rules: "fit for purpose" and "do it right the first time". It includes the regulation of the quality of raw materials, components; services related to production; and management, production, and inspection processes.
One of the most widely used techniques for Quality management is the PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) approach, also known as the Shewhart cycle.
PDCA ("Plan-Do-Check-Act") is an iterative four-step problem-solving process typically used in quality control. It is also known as the Deming Cycle, Shewhart cycle, Deming Wheel, or Plan-Do-Study-Act.
PLAN
Establish the objectives and processes necessary to deliver results in accordance with the specifications. (Follow government policy)
DO
Implement the processes.
CHECK
Monitor and evaluate the processes and results against objectives and Specifications and report the outcome.
ACT
Apply actions to the outcome for necessary improvement. This means reviewing all steps (Plan, Do, Check, Act) and modifying the process to improve it before its next implementation. (Verification and validation).
WHAT DO WE NEED TO ATTAIN QUALITY IN NYSC MOBILIZATION PROCESS
i. We need to re-engineer our ways (self examination)
ii. We need to develop a culture of discipline and avoid the “money temptation” because money is the root of all evils.
iii. Compliance with government policy on eligibility for participation in the NYSC Scheme.
iv. Working diligently with deadlines in the NYSC mobilization time table.
v. Making security a matter of priority when preparing and handling senate/academic board approved results.
vi. To be vigilant in order to eliminate all loopholes in the compilation of master lists.
vii. Adequate publicity for NYSC mobilization process and policies
viii. Constant monitoring and verification of the process leading to the mobilization of graduates of Corps producing Institutions by NYSC Management at the state and national levels.
CONCLUSION
A good name is better than gold and silver; therefore, every SAO/NYSC Schedule Officer should strive to uphold it for himself, the institution he is representing and the nation at large because NYSC is a national project. It is our task to re-engineer our ways by reflecting on the past mistakes and think of ways to make amends in order to achieve zero level fraud. SAOs/Schedule Officers should not aid and abet the fraudulent corps members but hand them over to the appropriate authority for discipline.
RECOMMENDATION
It is highly recommended that the NYSC National Directorate be organizing meetings and workshops regularly to identify lapses in the mobilization process; make corrections and fine tune the process as time and seasons may dictate; commend crops producing institutions that have down well and correct the erring ones, and finally to encourage excellence in the mobilization process.
APPRECIATION
I use this opportunity to thank the Director General, Brig. Gen. Yusuf Bomoi, the NYSC Management and especially Mrs. V. B. Okakwu and F. Sowunmi for given me this golden opportunity to present this paper at this meeting, may the Lord bless you all. Amen.
REFERENCES
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NYSC (2006). Hints on NYSC to Prospective National Youth Service Corps Members.
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