Office of the State Coordinator,
Education Task Force Initiatives
Kogi State.
4-June-2025
Urgent Implementation of NYSC Deployment Plan to Address Teacher Shortage in Public Schools
On May 14, 2025, the Honorable Commissioner for Education, Hon. Wemi Jones, publicly disclosed that the Kogi State Government was making arrangements with the State Directorate of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to post corps members with educational qualifications and single honor degrees to public schools across the state as a strategic response to the acute teacher shortage.
While this initiative was well received, the reality on ground does not reflect this vision. Field assessments and reports from local education stakeholders reveal that over 80% of NYSC corps members are currently posted to private institutions, leaving the majority of public primary schools grossly understaffed. It is disheartening to note that no public primary school in Kogi State currently has up to six teachers on staff — a dire situation that compromises the quality of education and the learning environment for our children.
As the State Coordinator of the Education Task Force Initiatives, I respectfully call on the Kogi State Ministry of Education and the NYSC State Directorate to urgently revisit the deployment framework and ensure that corps members with relevant qualifications are posted primarily to public schools, particularly those in underserved and rural areas.
This is not only in line with the original intent of the government’s directive, but also critical to safeguarding the future of education in our state. The success of this intervention depends on proper coordination, transparency, and strict adherence to deployment guidelines.
Recommendations:
- Immediate audit of current NYSC postings across all Local Government Areas.
- Reassignment of corps members from overstaffed private institutions to understaffed public schools.
- Monitoring and evaluation framework to ensure compliance moving forward.
We urge all stakeholders — including the Ministry of Education, NYSC Directorate, and community leaders — to collaborate actively and ensure that this corrective action is taken without delay.
Education is the foundation of development; we must act decisively and urgently.
Sincerely,
Muhammed Yusuf Osana
State Coordinator
Education Task Force Initiatives, Kogi State
