FG Overhauls Tertiary Admission Policy, Drops Maths Requirement for Arts Students

The Federal Government has announced a significant reform in Nigeria's tertiary education admission policy, making Mathematics no longer compulsory for Arts and Humanities students seeking admission into tertiary institutions.

The development was disclosed on Tuesday in a statement signed by Boriowo Folasade, Director of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Education.

According to the statement, the reform driven by the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa is part of efforts to advance the Renewed Hope Agenda and promote inclusive education as a catalyst for national development.

Under the new policy, entry barriers into universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and Innovation Enterprise Academies (IEAs) will be eased, with mathematics no longer compulsory for students applying to certain arts and humanities programmes.

Dr. Alausa explained that the reform became necessary following years of limited access to tertiary education, which left many qualified candidates without admission. He noted that out of over two million candidates who sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) yearly, only about 700,000 gain admission, a gap largely caused by rigid and outdated entry requirements.

The Minister added that the new framework would enable institutions to admit an additional 250,000 to 300,000 students annually, expanding opportunities for capable young Nigerians.