Garba Mohammed
The Federal Government has announced that Mathematics is no longer compulsory for students in the arts and humanities seeking admission into Nigerian tertiary institutions.
According to the Ministry of Education, the change applies to students sitting for the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and National Examinations Council (NECO) examinations. The new rule is part of the Revised National Guidelines for Entry Requirements into Nigerian Tertiary Institutions, which aim to remove unnecessary barriers to higher education while maintaining academic standards.
For years, all admission seekers—whether in sciences, social sciences, or arts—were required to obtain credit passes in both English and Mathematics before qualifying for admission into universities or polytechnics.
In a statement issued by the ministry’s spokesperson, Folasade Boriowo, the new requirements specify that universities will now accept 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. At the Polytechnic National Diploma (ND) level, students must have at least four credit passes in relevant subjects, including English Language for non-science courses and Mathematics for science-related programmes. For the Higher National Diploma (HND) level, five credit passes, including English Language and Mathematics, remain compulsory. Meanwhile, at the College of Education (NCE) level, four credit passes in relevant subjects are required, with English Language mandatory for Arts and Social Science students, and Mathematics compulsory for Science, Vocational, and Technical programmes.
According to the statement, the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, said the reform was part of the government’s deliberate efforts to widen access to tertiary education. He explained that the ministry had also approved a comprehensive review of admission processes across all tertiary institutions, which will increase the average annual intake from about 700,000 to one million students.
“Every year, over two million candidates sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), yet only about 700,000 gain admission,” Alausa said. “This imbalance is not caused by lack of ability but by outdated and overly stringent entry requirements that must give way to fairness and opportunity.”
According to him, the new policy will create room for an additional 250,000 to 300,000 admissions annually, ensuring that more qualified students can secure places in universities, polytechnics, and colleges. The minister added that the new guidelines reflect the government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which is focused on giving every Nigerian youth a fair chance to learn, grow, and succeed.
The move has generated divergent reactions among education analysts.