According to a statement released on Tuesday by the Federal Ministry of Education, senior secondary school students in the arts and humanities in Nigeria will no longer be required to present a credit in mathematics as a condition for admission to universities and polytechnics in their Senior School Certificate Examination, which is administered by the National Examination Council and the West African Examination Council.
For years, admission seekers in arts and humanities, like their contemporaries in sciences and social sciences, have been mandated to have five credits, including mathematics and English language, to secure admission into higher institutions.
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The revised National Guidelines for Entry Requirements into Nigerian Tertiary Institutions are designed to remove barriers while maintaining academic standards.
The following colleges of education, polytechnics, universities, and Innovation Enterprise Academies are included in the new framework.
Universities: At least five (5) credit passes in relevant subjects, including English Language, in two or fewer sittings. For courses in Science, Technology, and Social Science, math is required.
“Polytechnics (ND Level): Minimum of four (4) credit passes in relevant subjects, including English Language for non-science courses and Mathematics for science-related programs.
Polytechnics (HND Level):
Pass grades of at least five (5) in relevant courses, such as English Language and Mathematics. According to a statement released by Folasade Boriowo, the FME's spokesperson,
Colleges of Education (NCE Level): Minimum of four (4) credit passes in relevant subjects, with English Language required for Arts and Social Science courses and Mathematics required for Science, Vocational, and Technical programs." An education analyst, Ayodamola Oluwatoyin, who spoke to our correspondent in Abuja, hailed the reform.
This is a brilliant reform that we hope will open more doors and make it easier for more people to get into tertiary institutions.
The reform was characterized by Dr. Tunji Alausa, the Minister of Education, as an intentional effort to broaden access to tertiary education. More information will be provided later.