National Youth Service (Seychelles)

The National Youth Service (NYS) was a heavily criticized youth service program implemented by the government of Seychelles. It was a formerly compulsory service and included traditional educational curriculum, political education and paramilitary training. The Seychellois opposition opposed the program on the grounds that it allegedly indoctrinated young adults with the ruling Seychelles People's Progressive Front's socialist ideology and that it rarely allowed its participants to visit their families. Pressure from international organizations forced the government to make the program optional. The NYS campuses were located on Ste. Anne Island, and at Port Launay and Cap Ternay on Mahé island (though the Sainte Anne campus was closed later).

Students in the NYS lived at NYS campuses at Port Launay and Cap Ternay on the northwest coast of Mahé. The campus was made up of houses or dormitories known as "clusters" (where the students lived) and the school area. The campus was divided in two, with male-only and female-only clusters separated. There were nine boys' clusters (from B1 to B9) and nine girls' clusters (from G1 to G9), with each housing approximately 40 students. Education and other activities were mixed-gender. Students wore special brown and beige uniforms with red scarves.

In addition to academic training, the students received practical instruction in gardening, cooking, housekeeping, and livestock raising; one of the aims of the program was to reduce youth unemployment. Initially, they were expected to produce much of their own food and cook their own meals, though this was impractical and was phased out during the later years of the program. Self-government was practiced through group sessions and committees.[1]

From the time the NYS program was instituted in 1981, it was met with heated opposition and remained highly unpopular. During the early years of the program, students spent the entire period away from home, with parental visits permitted only at designated times at intervals of several months. The number of parental visits and home visits were increased in later years. Many considered the quality of education to be inferior, with the indoctrination in the socialist policies of the SPPF part of the curriculum during the beginnings of the NYS. Nevertheless, failure to attend the NYS made it difficult to proceed to more advanced study.

In 1991 the NYS program was reduced from two years to one year. The total enrollment in that year was 1,394, with roughly equal numbers of boys and girls. Those who left school but did not participate in the NYS could volunteer for a government-administered six-month work program, receiving a training stipend below the minimum wage.[1]

After completing their NYS program, students could attend Seychelles Polytechnic (1,600 students in 1991) for preuniversity studies or other training.[1]

The NYS ceased operations in November 1998.