The Federal Government has approved a major reform of admission entry requirements for tertiary institutions across Nigeria, making Mathematics no longer compulsory for candidates applying for Arts-related courses.
The new policy, announced by the Federal Ministry of Education, introduces a more flexible and inclusive framework aimed at expanding access to higher education. It followed the approval of National Guidelines for Entry Requirements into Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria, as outlined in a statement by the ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade.
According to the statement, the reform—championed by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa—is designed to democratize access to tertiary education and align with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“This policy represents a major stride in promoting inclusivity and driving national development through equitable education opportunities,” the ministry said.
Dr. Alausa explained that the overhaul became necessary after years of restrictive admission requirements that excluded many qualified candidates. He noted that despite over two million students writing the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) annually, fewer than 700,000 secure admission due to outdated entry policies.
“This imbalance must give way to fairness and opportunity. Our goal is to ensure that capable and deserving candidates are not denied education because of obsolete policies,” he said.
Under the new guidelines, Mathematics remains compulsory for Science, Technology, and Social Science courses, but it will no longer be required for Arts programmes. The updated requirements cover universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and Innovation Enterprise Academies (IEAs) while maintaining academic standards.
Key highlights include:
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Universities: Minimum of five credits, including English Language, in not more than two sittings.
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Polytechnics (ND): Four credits, including English for non-science courses and Mathematics for science-related programmes.
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Polytechnics (HND): Five credits, including English and Mathematics.
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Colleges of Education (NCE): Four credits; English is compulsory for Arts and Social Sciences, while Mathematics is required for Science and Technical courses.
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IEAs: To adopt the same entry requirements as Polytechnics at the ND level.
The government also announced the abolition of the National Innovation Diploma (NID) previously awarded by IEAs, replacing it with the National Diploma (ND) to ensure uniformity and credibility across institutions. The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has been directed to re-accredit all IEAs under the new standards.
Dr. Alausa said the reform is expected to allow an additional 250,000 to 300,000 students to gain admission annually, stressing that the initiative underscores the government’s commitment to inclusive education and youth empowerment.
“Our young people are the heartbeat of this nation. This reform ensures that every Nigerian youth has a fair chance to learn, grow, and succeed,” he said.
