October 14, (THEWILL) — The Federal Government has approved the removal of mathematics as a compulsory subject for students seeking admission into arts-related courses in Nigerian tertiary institutions.
The new policy, revealed on Tuesday by the Federal Ministry of Education, applies to the Senior School Certificate Examination results conducted by both the West African Examination Council (WAEC) and the National Examination Council (NECO).
For decades, admission seekers in the Arts and Humanities have been required to obtain five credits, including Mathematics and English Language, just like their counterparts in Science and Social Science disciplines.
However, according to the Ministry, this policy has now been revised to remove unnecessary barriers while maintaining academic quality and standards.
A statement signed on Tuesday by the Spokesperson for the Ministry, Folasade Boriowo, said the “revised National Guidelines for Entry Requirements into Nigerian Tertiary Institutions” outline specific subject requirements for different categories of tertiary institutions.
The statement partly reads: “Universities: Minimum of five credit passes in relevant subjects, including English Language, obtained in not more than two sittings. Mathematics is mandatory only for Science, Technology, and Social Science courses.
“Polytechnics (ND Level): Minimum of four credit passes in relevant subjects, including English Language for non-science courses and Mathematics for science-related programs.
“Polytechnics (HND Level): Minimum of five credit passes in relevant subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.
“Colleges of Education (NCE Level): Minimum of four credit passes in relevant subjects, with English Language mandatory for Arts and Social Science courses, and Mathematics required for Science, Vocational, and Technical programs.”
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