Nigeria has revised tertiary admission rules, making Mathematics optional for non-science courses to boost access for thousands of students.
The Federal Ministry of Education has announced a major overhaul of admission requirements into Nigerian higher institutions, making Mathematics optional for candidates applying to Arts and Humanities-related programmes.
According to a statement signed by spokesperson Folasade Boriowo on Tuesday, October 14, in Abuja, the revised National Guidelines for Entry Requirements will now apply across universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and innovation enterprise institutions.
Under the new policy, English Language remains compulsory for all programmes, while Mathematics is now required only for Science, Technology, and Social Science disciplines.
Minister of Education, Maruf Tunji Alausa, said the reform aims to “expand access and eliminate barriers” that have long excluded otherwise qualified candidates.
He noted that despite over two million candidates writing UTME annually, only about 700,000 secure admission.
The new framework, expected to admit an additional 250,000 to 300,000 students yearly, takes immediate effect nationwide.