The NYSC Katsina state coordinator, Alhaji Ibrahim Saidu, has raised alarm over the poor accommodation and lack of acceptance for corps members posted to public schools in the state.
He said the situation made it challenging for corps members deployed to the state to find suitable places to stay and fulfil their service.
The NYSC coordinator conveyed the concerns to the Executive Secretary of Katsina State Science and Technical Education Board, Professor Kabir Ibrahim Matazu, during a visit to the board.
He also requested the executive secretary to intervene and urge the principals of Science and Technical Schools in the state to provide accommodation and accept corps members posted to their schools.
He said: “Government Schools under the Ministry of Education that had the majority of the corps members deployed to them, do not have accommodation and neither do they pay any stipends in lieu of accommodation and transports to them and they, therefore, find it difficult to stay and serve in the state.’’
The NYSC state coordinator further promised to send corps members in the relevant fields to the Science and Technical Schools and requested the Executive Secretary to put up a request letter to the NYSC when the Schools are ready.
The Executive Secretary also corroborated the concern of the NYSC boss during the visit by lamenting that most parents now send their children to private schools including those who are in government schools in Katsina state
He said: “If the proper thing has to be done, Parent Teachers Association (PTA) and all other Associations must be involved to raise and maintain the standards of the public Schools back to what they were in the past.’’
“Even giving them raw food from time to time no matter how little will go a long way to encourage the corps member to stay and be focused’’
He condemned a situation where a corps member will be posted to a school, with no accommodation, no means of transportation and there is no stipend in lieu.’’
He promised to collaborate with the NYSC so that each school under the board would host at least 5 corps members every academic session, provide accommodation, and give them a monthly stipend of not less than 5000 naira.