The N-power Teacher Corps Programme: Must Know Fact

This writeup is coming against the background of what I've seen online, especially on Nairaland forum, concerning the commencement of the N-Power Teacher Corps programme of the Federal Government of Nigeria. From my findings, I realised that many youths are not happy about this development while others are blatantly indifferent or simply unrepentant addicts to bad news from the Federal Government. I can agree, at least for the sake of my writeup, that some, if not most, of the pained youths do not understand the full implication(s) of this programme due to the bad reading habits of our youths who would rather prefer to read headlines than cultivate the habit of thorough reading and research. Even those who have fully read and assimilated the import of this programme are hypocritical to themselves because of political blindness. Before I venture further, I would like to state some of the basic facts about the N-Power Teacher Corps programme for the benefit of those who have not heard about it or have deliberately refused to read about it.

- The programme is a product of N-Power, an initiative of the Federal Government, including various MDAs, agencies and ministries, which is aimed at curbing unemployment in the country by developing programmes to engage youths in entrepreneurship, skill development, handiwork and teaching, among others.
- Applications are to start Sunday, June 12th, 2016 while the programme itself shall commence August 2016
- The Teacher Corps is for HND and B.sc/B.A/B.Ed graduates
- The Teacher Corps programme shall engage 500,000 unemployed graduates and deploy them to schools to teach
- The programme is similar to the known National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) programme and recruits must have completed the NYSC programme
- The Teacher Corps is a VOLUNTARY service to the nation. IT IS NOT AN OFFER OF EMPLOYMENT FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT but only an avenue to develop a skillset and relevant experience as the youth applies for and gets better offers. The pay is ONLY AN INCENTIVE to encourage the corps members.
- The Teacher Corps recruitment is not AUTOMATIC! Prospective corps members shall fill an application, PASS AN APTITUDE TEST and other RELEVANT TESTS and show dedication to developing useful skillsets in the programme. The applicant must also show willingness to get a job in the course of the programme.
- The Teacher Corps programme is meant for ONLY those within the age brackets of 18-35 years. No more, no less!
- Teachers will be posted in accordance with the laid down procedures of the group.
- Technicalities such as reports/clearance will be in place to avoid "ghost-workers"!
- The Teacher Corps recruits will work for ONLY TWO YEARS and whether or not they have a job, they have to leave so that others can participate.
- Recruits must demonstrate reading, writing and teaching skills
- Recruits have the burden on them to prove that they are currently unemployed whichever way they want
- It is important to note that prospective corps members will be competing with millions of other Nigerians for this programme and so, they have to get their acts right if they want it
- You MUST be COMPUTER LITERATE and ICT SAVVY before you can apply because reports are digitized in this programme
- At the end of the programme, corps members will be presented with the National Skills Certificate
- Monthly pay is pegged at N23000 which is commendable for a VOLUNTARY SERVICE TO THE NATION. While the pay may seem small given the cost of things in the country today, it should be noted that NO ONE is FORCED to JOIN!!! If you want to participate, it is because you are truly unemployed and want to develop the relevant skills that will better your chances of employment.
- Apart from teaching, N-Power is also into other health, agricultural, technological, ICT, animation, post-production, hardware/software development & repair and other voluntary programmes.

So those are the facts that all Nigerian youths should know about this programme. The basic misconception that it is an employment must be done away with because IT IS NOT!!! It is more like an extended NYSC programme which is highly commendable given the swarming amount of unemployed youths in the country today. This is government's way of keeping the unemployed youths busy and paid as they search for better jobs and develop their skillsets. Those that are qualified may apply to Federal Government or State Government Teaching Board if they have a flair for teaching upon completion of programme and I am sure that they will be considered with their discharge National Skills Certificate.
The pay is not mandatory but the Federal Government chose to add it in other to encourage youths and I think it is commendable. That money is enough for the average and prudent youth to feed and transport himself/herself every month. Even financially prudent youths can save from that amount and others can manage to send something home to their poor parents and siblings. This is done with NYSC allowance talkless of this. Let us learn to appreciate the little we have. A few governments in Africa can do what the Federal Government is doing for us now. Let us take the initiative and show that we are truly the Giant of Africa!
Most of us allow politics, tribalism and sheer pettiness to becloud our ability to be positive about our own collective future as a nation. Things are not the best now in Nigeria but they will surely get better. Whether in this government or the next, Nigeria will be great if only we realise that we are our own problems and nothing else. Nigerians are reminiscent of the proverbial man who burns his hut to anger to village head. How silly!!! Youths should also shun hypocrisy by engaging in situations where they attack government's initiatives openly and apply for them "nicodemusly" like in the case of the recent NPF recruitment.