In a sweeping education reform poised to transform Nigeria’s tertiary admission system, the Federal Government has officially removed Mathematics as a compulsory subject for students pursuing degrees in the Arts and Humanities.
The decision, announced by the Federal Ministry of Education through its spokesperson Folasade Boriowo, is contained in the newly revised National Guidelines for Entry Requirements into Nigerian Tertiary Institutions
The new framework applies across universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, aligning entry qualifications with course relevance rather than uniform general requirements that had, for decades, excluded thousands of qualified candidates.
“This reform is designed to remove barriers while maintaining academic standards,” the ministry stated. “It’s a deliberate attempt to democratise access to higher education without compromising quality.”
🎓 Breakdown of the New Entry Framework
- Universities: Mathematics is now compulsory only for students in Science, Technology, and Social Science programmes.
- Polytechnics: Maths required for Science and Technical programmes; not for non-science courses.
- Colleges of Education: Maths compulsory for Vocational and Technical education, while English remains compulsory for Arts and Social Sciences.
This change overturns a decades-old policy requiring five credits including English and Mathematics for all disciplines — a blanket rule long criticised by education advocates for stifling access and limiting inclusion.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, described the reform as one of the most progressive policy shifts under the Tinubu administration, targeting equity and opportunity across the academic landscape.
“Talent must not be trapped by arithmetic,” Alausa said. “We’re opening new doors for students who have the passion, intellect, and drive to succeed but have been denied for reasons unrelated to their chosen discipline.”
He explained that the policy was part of a broader “Access Without Barriers” initiative being developed by the ministry in partnership with the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), state ministries, and tertiary regulators such as the National Universities Commission (NUC).
Education experts have welcomed the decision, calling it “a victory for logic and inclusion.” According to Dr. Ibiyemi Odukoya, an education analyst based in Lagos, “The compulsory Mathematics rule has historically penalised brilliant minds in the arts. This reform finally aligns Nigeria with global admission best practices.”
Students’ unions also reacted with excitement. At the University of Benin, undergraduate Deborah Uwaifo called it “the best education headline of the year,” while a group of applicants in Kano said the reform would “restore hope to thousands of WAEC repeaters who failed only Mathematics.”
💡 Context & Impact
The reform emerges amid broader education reforms following months of tension between the Federal Government and academic unions over funding, welfare, and accessibility.
Analysts say it signals a more inclusive vision of tertiary education where entry pathways are determined by course relevance, not arbitrary constraints.
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