Jalang'o pushes bill to make NYS compulsory after secondary school

Lang'ata MP Phelix Odiwuor, popularly known as Jalang'o, has announced plans to introduce a Bill that would make National Youth Service (NYS) training compulsory for all students after completing secondary school.

Speaking during an interview on AM TV with Alex Mwakideu, the first-term legislator said the proposed law is aimed at instilling discipline, patriotism, and practical skills among young Kenyans before they transition to higher education or the job market.

Jalang'o argued that mandatory NYS training would help address what he described as a growing decline in discipline among the country's youth.

"Many countries like Saudi Arabia and Nigeria have a National Youth Service. It used to be mandatory here in Kenya that when a youth completed O-Levels, they would undergo paramilitary training and discipline," he said.f

He said the programme would also promote patriotism while equipping participants with practical life skills and resilience.

"All these things happening with our youth are because of a lack of discipline. It will also teach them about patriotism, give them a few skills, and make them hardy," Jalang'o said.

The MP revealed that the proposal is in its final stages and will be the last Bill he plans to table during the life of the 13th Parliament.

"I'm going to table it again. It's in the last stage, and it will be the last thing I will table in the 13th Parliament," he said.

The National Youth Service was established in 1964 to train young Kenyans and engage them in projects of national importance. Today, the institution offers a six-month basic paramilitary training programme alongside vocational and technical skills development.

Unlike in previous decades, enrolment into the NYS is currently voluntary. Applicants must be Kenyan citizens aged between 18 and 24, possess a valid national identification card, and have attained at least a D (plain) in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE).

Prospective recruits are also required to undergo physical and medical examinations, present a valid Certificate of Good Conduct, and demonstrate readiness to complete the institution's intensive paramilitary training.

If passed, Jalang'o's proposed legislation would mark a major shift in Kenya's youth development policy by making NYS training compulsory for all students after completing Form Four.