In a major policy shift, the Federal Government has announced that Mathematics is no longer a compulsory subject for students in the Arts and Humanities seeking admission into universities and polytechnics across Nigeria.
The announcement was made on Tuesday by the Federal Ministry of Education, following the approval of the revised National Guidelines for Entry Requirements into Nigerian Tertiary Institutions.
According to the new framework, Mathematics will remain mandatory only for students applying to Science, Technology, and Social Science-related courses, while Arts and Humanities students will now be exempted.
The statement, signed by the Ministry’s spokesperson, Folasade Boriowo, reads:
“The revised National Guidelines for Entry Requirements into Nigerian Tertiary Institutions are designed to remove barriers while maintaining academic standards. The new framework applies to universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and Innovation Enterprise Academies across the country.”
It further explained the new structure as follows:
Universities: Minimum of five credit passes in relevant subjects, including English Language, obtained in not more than two sittings. Mathematics is compulsory only for Science, Technology, and Social Science courses.
Polytechnics (ND Level): Minimum of four credit passes in relevant subjects, including English Language for non-science courses and Mathematics for science-related programs.
Polytechnics (HND Level): Minimum of five credit passes in relevant subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.
Colleges of Education (NCE Level): Minimum of four credit passes in relevant subjects, with English Language mandatory for Arts and Social Science courses, and Mathematics required for Science, Vocational, and Technical programs.
Reacting to the development, education analyst Ayodamola Oluwatoyin commended the move, describing it as a “brilliant reform” that will make admission processes easier for many students.
“This is a brilliant reform which we hope will open the doors and improve the ease of admissions into tertiary institutions for more seekers,” he said.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, also stated that the reform is part of the government’s deliberate effort to expand access to higher education and make the admission system more inclusive.
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