The Federal Government has scrapped Mathematics as a compulsory subject for students seeking admission into Nigerian tertiary institutions to study Arts and Humanities-related courses.
The new directive, announced on Tuesday by the Federal Ministry of Education, takes immediate effect and applies to universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and Innovation Enterprise Institutions nationwide.
According to a statement signed by the ministry’s spokesperson, Folasade Boriowo, the revised National Guidelines for Entry Requirements into Nigerian Tertiary Institutions were designed to remove unnecessary barriers to higher education while preserving academic integrity and quality.
Under the new framework, candidates applying for Arts and Humanities programmes will now only need credits in relevant subjects, including English Language. Mathematics, however, will remain compulsory for Science, Technology, and Social Science disciplines.
For polytechnic admissions, applicants are required to have at least four credit passes, including English Language for non-science courses, while Mathematics remains essential for science-based programmes. At the Higher National Diploma (HND) level, both English and Mathematics will continue to be mandatory.
Similarly, for Colleges of Education, English Language is compulsory for Arts and Social Science students, while Mathematics is required for Science, Vocational, and Technical courses.
Education analyst Ayodamola Oluwatoyin lauded the decision as a “brilliant step” that would ease access to higher education and reduce the exclusion of capable students who struggle with Mathematics.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, described the reform as part of broader efforts to expand access and promote inclusivity across Nigeria’s tertiary education system.
“We are building a system that prioritises relevance, inclusion, and access, without compromising quality,” he said.
