Federal Government on Sunday reversed its earlier decision, stressing that Mathematics is a compulsory subject for all students sitting for O-Level examinations.
Spokesperson for the Federal Ministry of Education, Boriowo Folashade, announced this in a statement issued on Sunday.
Recall that last Tuesday, Boriowo had announced that senior secondary school students in the Arts and Humanities would no longer be required to present a credit in Mathematics in their Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) for tertiary admissions.
Boriowo had said that the reform became necessary after years of restricted access, which denied many qualified candidates admission opportunities.
According to her, while over two million candidates sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination annually, only about 700,000 gain admission.
But the issue has continued to generate controversy as some educationists rejected the policy shift, saying it would further encourage laziness among students and negatively impact their academic excellence and performance.
Boriowo in the new statement, however said the new admission guidelines do not exempt any candidate from registering and sitting for Mathematics.
“All students must continue to register and sit for English Language and Mathematics in their O-Level examinations,” the statement read.
The statement added that while institutions may now admit candidates into certain programmes where credit passes in either English or Mathematics are not mandatory, students are still required to take both subjects during their O-Level exams.
“This adjustment affects only admission criteria, not the requirement to take these subjects,” she clarified.
The statement added that the reform supports the Federal Government’s vision of equitable access, inclusivity, and human capital development.
“English and Mathematics remain vital tools for communication, reasoning, and lifelong learning,” the Ministry noted.
The Ministry also urged students, parents, and stakeholders to rely solely on official communication channels for verified policy updates
Asked if the new development meant a U-turn on the earlier stance of the ministry, Boriowo said, “No, no U-turn — it’s a clarification on the streamlined admission requirements to expand access to tertiary education, please.”
