The National Youth Service (NYS) was a youth service program implemented by the government of Seychelles during its time as a one-party state. It was a formerly compulsory service and included traditional educational curriculum, political education and paramilitary training. Criticized by many as an indoctrination scheme, the program was lauded by President France-Albert René as a way to steer disadvantaged youth from bad habits and troubled situations at home and instead forge a body of educated, skilled, and socially-conscious future administrators of Seychelles. The NYS worked closely with the Seychelles People's Progressive Front Youth League. History Educational program The NYS was founded in 1979 as a mass organization intended to provide education, paramilitary, and sports training for Seychellois youth. Initially intended to be compulsory, the program was almost immediately made voluntary (compulsory attendance deferred to 1984) as a response to youth protests. Education at the facility was intended to provide practical education as well as ideological training, and eventually replace Seychellois College, the closure of which was planned for the mid-1980s. The stated primary goal of the program was to create a new generation of Seychellois youth with a wider variety of skills with which they could contribute to society. Additionally, the program was used to combat youth addiction (particularly alcoholism) and teenage pregnancy, and to encourage healthy habits. 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. Academic subjects were often combined with the aforementioned activities to form month-long practicums. Initially, students 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. After completing their NYS program, students could attend Seychelles