FG Removes Mathematics as Compulsory Subject for Arts Students
The Federal Government has announced that Mathematics will no longer be a compulsory requirement for students in the Arts and Humanities seeking admission into Nigerian universities and polytechnics.
This was disclosed on Tuesday by the Federal Ministry of Education, which said the decision formed part of the revised National Guidelines for Entry Requirements into Nigerian Tertiary Institutions.
According to the statement signed by the ministry’s spokesperson, Folasade Boriowo, the new framework aims to “remove barriers while maintaining academic standards” across all tertiary institutions, including universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and Innovation Enterprise Academies.
Under the revised guidelines, universities will now require a minimum of five credit passes in relevant subjects, including English Language, obtained in not more than two sittings. Mathematics remains mandatory only for Science, Technology, and Social Science courses.
For polytechnics, the minimum entry requirement at the National Diploma (ND) level is four credit passes in relevant subjects, including English Language for non-science courses and Mathematics for science-related programmes. At the Higher National Diploma (HND) level, five credit passes, including English Language and Mathematics, are required.
Similarly, for colleges of education, a minimum of four credit passes is required, with English Language mandatory for Arts and Social Science courses, while Mathematics is compulsory for Science, Vocational, and Technical programmes.
Reacting to the development, education analyst Ayodamola Oluwatoyin described the reform as “a brilliant move” that will improve access to tertiary education and ease the admission process for many students.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, said the reform represents a deliberate effort by the government to expand access to higher education while aligning admission policies with the evolving needs of Nigeria’s education system.
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