**NERD Certificate Now a Must-Have for NYSC Registration** The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, has announced that Nigerian graduates seeking to register for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) will now be required to present a certificate from the Nigerian Education Repository and Databank (NERD). This new policy is aimed at verifying and authenticating academic certificates issued by Nigerian tertiary institutions. The NERD policy was introduced by the government in August, and it mandates all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to use the National Credential Verification Service (NCVS) to verify academic certificates. The policy was initially exempted for prospective NYSC members last year due to the transitional period. However, the exemption has been lifted, and it's now compulsory for all graduates to obtain an NERD certificate before registering for the NYSC. In a workshop for representatives of tertiary institutions in Abuja, the Education Minister explained that compliance with the NERD policy is now a prerequisite for participation in the NYSC. This means that graduates who fail to obtain an NERD certificate will not be able to register for the NYSC. The minister also announced that Nigerian tertiary institutions that comply with the NERD policy will be eligible to access funds and services from government agencies such as the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and the National Universities Commission (NUC). The NERD certificate will serve as a digital footprint for verifying academic certificates, making it easier for employers and government agencies to verify the authenticity of certificates. This policy is aimed at promoting transparency and accountability in the education sector and ensuring that only qualified graduates are employed in government organizations. For Nigerian graduates, this policy change means that they must now obtain an NERD certificate before registering for the NYSC. This may require additional steps, such as visiting the NERD website to obtain an NCVS number and verifying their certificates. However, the policy is intended to benefit the education sector as a whole, and it may help to reduce cases of certificate forgery and promote a culture of transparency and accountability.