In a landmark policy change, the Federal Ministry of Education has announced that Mathematics will no longer be a compulsory subject for students in the Arts stream seeking admission into universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education across Nigeria.
The decision, approved after consultations with major education stakeholders, was disclosed on Monday by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Didi Walson-Jack, during a press briefing in Abuja. She explained that the policy aims to realign admission requirements with discipline-specific needs and reduce barriers that have historically hindered many Arts students from advancing to higher education.
According to the ministry, the new directive takes immediate effect for the 2025/2026 academic session and applies to admissions processed through the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and other recognized tertiary entrance systems. Subjects such as English Language, Literature-in-English, and Government or History will now serve as core prerequisites for Arts-related courses, replacing the long-standing requirement of compulsory Mathematics.
“The Federal Ministry of Education has reviewed the curriculum and admission criteria to ensure they reflect the competencies required for each field of study,” Walson-Jack stated. “While Mathematics remains vital for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Social Science disciplines, it should not be an obstacle for students pursuing the Arts, Humanities, and certain vocational studies.”
The policy revision follows years of advocacy by educators, parents, and academic unions who argued that compulsory Mathematics had discouraged many talented Arts students from proceeding to tertiary education. Experts say the move aligns with global best practices, where admission requirements are discipline-specific rather than uniform across all fields.
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Reactions to the announcement have been mixed. While many educationists and school administrators have praised the reform as “long overdue,” some critics warn that removing Mathematics as a universal requirement might reduce general numeracy levels among graduates. The National Association of Teachers of Mathematics (NATM) has urged the ministry to introduce basic quantitative reasoning modules to ensure that Arts students still maintain functional numeracy skills.
JAMB officials have confirmed that the new guidelines will be reflected in the next Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) brochure and that institutions will receive updated criteria for course admissions.
The Federal Government emphasized that the reform is part of broader efforts to make education more inclusive, flexible, and tailored to students’ strengths and future career paths.