The National Youth Service in Kenya is a government of Kenya program that offers vocational training to the youths and young people in Kenya. Kenya National Youth Service in Nairobi instills a sense of self worth, patriotism as well as empowering the youth in Kenya to help in safeguard Kenya.

The National Youth Service in Nairobi was established soon after Kenya attained independence, in 1964 so as to train the youths in Kenya in various tasks of national importance. Some of the tasks trained in Kenya National Youth Service include; disaster response in Kenya, service in the Kenya armed forces as well as Kenya national reconstruction programs. Until the 1980’s enrolment into the National Youth Service in Kenya was compulsory for the Kenya high school graduates. However, rules became a bit relaxed, and it was no longer compulsory to enroll into the National Youth Service in Kenya after the 1980’s.

At this time, National Youth Service (N.Y.S) in Kenya became a place of solace for students who did not attain scores to get them into Universities in Kenya, or for those who could not raise the fee needed to enroll to universities in Kenya. Recently, parliament passed a unanimous bill that enrollment into the National Youth Service in Kenya should be made compulsory unlike in the earlier years when NYS in Kenya was particularly for the students in Kenya who did not excel so as to secure entry into high school and other tertiary institutions in Kenya.

On completion of high school studies in Kenya, the students, admitted into the public universities in Kenya through the Joint Admissions Board (JAB) in Kenya usually have to wait for close to two years before entry into university in Kenya. This is the proposed time when the students in Kenya are expected to enroll to the National Youth Service for training. This motion was moved by Senator Beatrice Elachi in Kenya affiliated to the Alliance Party of Kenya.

Location of National Youth Service offices in Kenya

The National Youth Service has its headquarters in Gilgil town, a town in the Rift Valley of Kenya. Gilgil Town in Kenya is located approximately 140 kilometers from Nairobi city in Kenya. There is also another National Youth Service branch found along the Thika superhighway in Nairobi. The two branches of the National Youth Service in Kenya have greatly helped to give a sense of direction to the many youths not enrolled in universities in Kenya.