FG removes Mathematics as compulsory subject for Arts students

The Federal Government has declared that Mathematics will no longer be a compulsory subject for students seeking admission into tertiary institutions to study Arts and Humanities-related courses.

The new policy unveiled by the Federal Ministry of Education on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, applies to entry requirements for universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and Innovation Enterprise Institutions across the country.

A statement issued by the ministry’s spokesperson, Folasade Boriowo, quoted the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, as saying the reform became necessary after years of restricted access that denied many qualified candidates admission opportunities.

Alausa said the move was a deliberate effort to expand access to tertiary education, noting that while over two million candidates sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) annually, only about 700,000 gain admission.

The minister stated that the revised National Guidelines for Entry Requirements into Nigerian Tertiary Institutions were designed to remove barriers while maintaining academic standards.

According to him, under the new framework, universities will require a minimum of five credit passes in relevant subjects, including English Language, obtained in not more than two sittings.

Mathematics, he said, remains mandatory only for Science, Technology, and Social Science courses.

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For polytechnics, a minimum of four credit passes in relevant subjects will be required, including English Language for non-science courses and Mathematics for science-related programmes.

Colleges of Education will also require a minimum of four credit passes, with English Language mandatory for Arts and Social Science courses, and Mathematics for Science, Vocational and Technical programmes.

Alausa said Innovation Enterprise Academies would adopt the same entry standards as polytechnics for the National Diploma (ND) programme.

Alausa added that the National Innovation Diploma (NID) would be phased out and replaced with the ND to ensure uniformity, credibility, and progression opportunities for graduates.

He disclosed that the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) is currently re-accrediting all Innovation Enterprise Academies across the country to align with the new ND standards.

The minister said the reform would enable an additional 250,000 to 300,000 students to gain admission each year, thereby reducing the number of out-of-school youths and strengthening vocational and technical education.

Alausa added that the initiative reflects the federal government’s commitment to fairness, inclusion and alignment of Nigeria’s tertiary education system with global and industry standards.

The Star