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From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
The Federal Ministry of Education has made a U-turn regarding the recent decision on the compulsory subject requirements for admissions into tertiary institutions.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, in a statement signed by Boriowo Folasade, the Director of Press and Public Relations in the Ministry, stated that contrary to some recent media reports, all students must register and sit for English Language and Mathematics in their O-Level examinations.
The Minister explained that the new tertiary institutions’ admission guidelines do not exempt any candidate from the core subjects but rather provide a more inclusive and flexible approach to tertiary admission requirements.
He further explained that the reform promotes fairness and inclusiveness in tertiary education by ensuring that capable students are not denied admission due to deficiencies in non-core subjects.
“The streamlining of O-Level admission guidelines aims to modernise Nigeria’s education system and align it with global best practices. It allows institutions to admit candidates into specific programmes where credit passes in either English or Mathematics may not be compulsory while still mandating that all students register and sit for both subjects.
“This reform supports the Federal Government’s vision of equitable access, inclusivity, and human capital development, broadening academic pathways and recognising diverse strengths among learners.
“English and Mathematics remain vital tools for communication, reasoning, and lifelong learning. The adjustment affects only admission criteria, not the requirement to take these subjects,” the Minister said.
He urged students, parents, and stakeholders to rely solely on official communication channels for verified policy updates.
A few days ago, the Minister of Education, in a statement, unveiled new guidelines for admission into tertiary institutions in Nigeria which apply to universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, as well as Innovation Enterprise Academies (IEAs) across the country as follows.
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For the universities, a minimum of five credit passes is required in relevant subjects, including English Language, obtained in not more than two sittings. Mathematics is mandatory for Science, Technology, and Social Science courses.
For the Polytechnics (ND Level), a minimum of four credit passes is required in relevant subjects, including English Language for non-science courses and Mathematics for science-related programmes. For the HND level, a minimum of five credit passes is required in relevant subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.
For Colleges of Education (NCE Level), a minimum of four credit passes is required in relevant subjects, with English Language mandatory for Arts and Social Science courses, and Mathematics required for Science, Vocational, and Technical programmes. At the B.Ed Level, a minimum of five credit passes, including English Language and Mathematics, as applicable to the course of study.
The new policy further indicated that the Innovation Enterprise Academies (IEAs) will adopt the same minimum requirements as Polytechnics for the National Diploma (ND) programme, announcing the abolishment of the National Innovation Diploma (NID).
It also stated that the National Industrial Diploma (NID) previously issued by Innovation Enterprise Academies will be phased out and replaced with the National Diploma (ND) to ensure uniformity, credibility, and progression opportunities for graduates.
Meanwhile, the Minister said the new policy represents a bold step in advancing the Renewed Hope Agenda and promoting inclusive education for national development.
Dr. Alausa further explained that the reform has become necessary after years of restricted access that left many qualified candidates unable to secure admission.
He said: “Every year, over two million candidates sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), yet only about 700,000 gain admission. This imbalance, he notes, is not due to a lack of ability but rather to outdated and overly stringent entry requirements that must give way to fairness and opportunity.”
