The Federal Government has announced that Mathematics will no longer be a compulsory subject for students in the arts and humanities seeking admission into Nigerian universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.
This was disclosed on Tuesday by the Federal Ministry of Education (FME) in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Folasade Boriowo, following the approval of the revised National Guidelines for Entry Requirements into Nigerian Tertiary Institutions.
According to the ministry, the new policy aims to eliminate barriers that have prevented qualified candidates from accessing higher education while maintaining academic standards across tertiary institutions.
“The revised National Guidelines for Entry Requirements into Nigerian Tertiary Institutions are designed to remove barriers while maintaining academic standards,” the statement said.
“For arts and humanities students, a credit in Mathematics will no longer be a mandatory requirement for admission into universities and other tertiary institutions.”
Under the new framework, candidates seeking admission into universities are required to obtain a minimum of five credit passes in relevant subjects, including English Language, in not more than two sittings.
Mathematics remains compulsory only for Science, Technology, and Social Science courses.
For Polytechnics (ND Level), the guideline stipulates at least four credit passes, including English for non-science courses and Mathematics for science-related programmes.
At the HND level, both English Language and Mathematics are mandatory.
In the case of Colleges of Education (NCE Level), applicants must have at least four credits in relevant subjects. English Language is compulsory for Arts and Social Science students, while Mathematics remains a requirement for Science, Vocational, and Technical programmes.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, described the reform as part of the government’s effort to broaden access to tertiary education and provide equal opportunities for all students.
“This reform is a deliberate effort to expand access to higher education and ensure that admission requirements are relevant to each discipline,” Alausa said.
Reacting to the development, education analyst Ayodamola Oluwatoyin commended the policy, describing it as “a welcome reform” that could ease entry into tertiary institutions.
“This is a brilliant step that will improve the ease of admission for many students who have struggled with Mathematics but excelled in other fields,” Oluwatoyin told our correspondent in Abuja.
The new policy applies to universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and Innovation Enterprise Institutions nationwide and is expected to take effect from the 2025/2026 academic session.
