Mathematics No Longer Compulsory for Arts Students in Nigeria: Everything You Need to Know

If you were one of those students who broke into a cold sweat every time you saw “Simultaneous Equations” on the board, this news might make you smile: Mathematics is no longer compulsory for admission into arts and humanities programmes in Nigerian universities and polytechnics.

Yes, you read that right. The Federal Ministry of Education just announced that students in the arts and humanities will no longer need a credit pass in Mathematics in their Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) — whether organised by WAEC or NECO — to qualify for admission into tertiary institutions.

But before you start celebrating or shaking your head in disbelief, here’s the full story.

What’s Changed Exactly?

For decades, Nigerian admission seekers — regardless of their field — were required to bag five credits, including English Language and Mathematics, to stand any chance of entering a university or polytechnic.

That rule has now been revised under the National Guidelines for Entry Requirements into Nigerian Tertiary Institutions, unveiled this week by the Ministry of Education.

Under the new policy:

• Mathematics remains compulsory for students applying for Science, Technology, and Social Science courses.
  
  

• English Language remains compulsory for all students.
  
  

• Arts and Humanities students (think Literature, History, Mass Communication, Theatre Arts, Philosophy, etc.) will no longer need a credit in Mathematics for admission into universities or polytechnics.
  

The reform applies to all universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and Innovation Enterprise Academies across Nigeria.

Why The Change?

According to the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, the goal is to expand access to higher education and remove “unnecessary barriers” that have locked out thousands of capable students over the years.

Every year, over two million candidates sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), but only about 700,000 gain admission. That leaves a whopping 1.3 million young Nigerians stranded — not because they’re lazy or unqualified, but often because they failed Mathematics by a few marks.

The minister said the reform would increase tertiary admission intake to about one million students yearly, creating room for an additional 250,000 to 300,000 new admissions.

In his words:

“This imbalance is not due to lack of ability but outdated and overly stringent entry requirements that must give way to fairness and opportunity.”

Simply put: many bright students have been shut out by the infamous “credit in Mathematics” rule — even when their chosen career paths have little to do with numbers.

Who Stands To Benefit?

The new guideline is a breath of fresh air for students who excel in the creative and liberal arts but struggle with algebra or geometry. Think aspiring journalists, lawyers, actors, writers, historians, linguists, and philosophers.

It means that a student who scores credits in subjects like English, Literature, Government, CRS, and Economics — but misses Mathematics — can now apply to study their dream course.

Education analyst Ayodamola Oluwatoyin described the reform as “a brilliant move” that will open doors and make admission easier for thousands of students who were previously blocked by the maths barrier.

The Controversy

Not everyone is clapping, though.

Alexander Obadimu, President of the Association of Retired Principals of Secondary Schools of Nigeria (Ogun State chapter), says the policy could backfire.

He argues that removing Mathematics might make students complacent and academically lazy, and could even weaken Nigeria’s educational foundation.

“Many students would run off from Mathematics. It has its good side, and saying it’s no longer required is unfortunate,” Obadimu said.
“We might begin to see academic decadence setting in.”

He also fears that the change might be short-lived, predicting that some tertiary institutions may refuse to comply fully with the new rule.

The Bigger Picture

Whether you’re for or against the policy, one thing is clear: it’s a bold attempt to modernise Nigeria’s education system.

For years, critics have argued that the one-size-fits-all admission system — especially the insistence on Mathematics — doesn’t reflect the diverse skills and intelligences of students.

The reform, as the Ministry insists, doesn’t lower standards but rather aligns requirements with relevance: if you’re going into the arts, why should a poor score in quadratic equations keep you out?

Still, education purists worry about a potential ripple effect — that dropping Mathematics might discourage interest in the subject altogether, leading to fewer science students in the future.

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, this reform feels like a balancing act between inclusivity and integrity. It recognises that not all intelligence is numerical and that access to higher education shouldn’t depend solely on a student’s ability to solve trigonometric problems.

For now, thousands of young Nigerians who once dreaded their WAEC results page will finally breathe a sigh of relief — and maybe, just maybe, pick up their pens to write the next great Nigerian novel instead of calculating compound interest.