Relief has come for thousands of tertiary education applicants as the Federal Government last week announced the removal of the compulsory credit pass in Mathematics for students seeking admission into arts and humanities programmes across the country.
The policy shift, which forms part of the government’s ongoing education reforms, aims to make tertiary education more accessible and inclusive, particularly for candidates who have been repeatedly denied admission due to the mathematics requirement.
However, the Ministry of Education has clarified that English Language and Mathematics will remain compulsory subjects from primary through secondary school, underscoring their foundational importance in the nation’s educational curriculum.
Under the new framework, university applicants in the arts are now required to obtain a minimum of five credits in relevant subjects, including English Language, while mathematics remains mandatory for science, technology, and social science courses. At the Higher National Diploma (HND) level, candidates must still secure credits in both English and Mathematics, while National Diploma (ND) and National Certificate in Education (NCE) requirements will depend on course specifications with mathematics mandatory for science and technical programmes.
The change effectively reverts Nigeria’s admission framework to the post-independence model, which did not mandate a mathematics credit for arts students.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, said the decision was informed by the need to make the system fairer and to address the long-standing bottlenecks preventing qualified students from advancing academically.
“Every year, over two million candidates sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, yet only about 700,000 gain admission. This imbalance is not due to a lack of ability but outdated and overly stringent entry requirements that must give way to fairness and opportunity,” Alausa stated.
Education experts have largely welcomed the policy, describing it as a pragmatic step that recognises the diversity of human intelligence and learning strengths. Psychologists argue that intelligence manifests in various forms including verbal-linguistic, logical-mathematical, musical, and interpersonal and education systems should reflect this diversity.
Nevertheless, many stakeholders caution that while flexibility is welcome, the country must not lose sight of the centrality of mathematics in today’s knowledge-driven world. Mathematics remains vital for developing problem-solving, analytical, and logical reasoning skills essential in modern life and the global economy.
Analysts point out that Nigeria’s long-standing challenges with mathematics education stem largely from a chronic shortage of qualified teachers, inadequate facilities, and poor remuneration for educators. For decades, unqualified teachers have filled gaps in schools, eroding students’ interest and confidence in the subject.
The result has been a paradox: a generation of young Nigerians who are tech-savvy and digitally skilled, yet perform poorly in basic mathematics.
Experts suggest that rather than lowering standards indefinitely, the government should focus on long-term solutions including better training, improved teacher welfare, and enhanced learning environments to make mathematics both engaging and accessible.
Countries like Finland, they note, have set global benchmarks by making teaching an attractive and well-respected profession, with salaries ranging from €32,000 to €41,000 annually, alongside benefits like private health insurance.
At a time when Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education is driving innovation and economic growth worldwide, education analysts insist that Nigeria must invest heavily in teacher development and educational infrastructure.
When the right conditions are in place, they argue, reinstating mathematics as a compulsory requirement for all tertiary applicant including those in the arts and humanities will not only be feasible but also beneficial for national development.