Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
The federal government has backed paddled on its earlier claim that Mathematics is no longer a compulsory subject for all students sitting for O-Level examinations.
The spokesperson for the Federal Ministry of Education, Boriowo Folashade disclosed this in a statement made available to Journalists.
Recall that earlier on 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 stated that the reform became necessary after years of restricted access, which denied many qualified candidates admission opportunities.
She had said while over two million candidates sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination annually, only about 700,000 gain admission.
However, the issue had generated controversy as some educationists rejected the policy shift, saying it would further encourage laziness among students and negatively impact their academic excellence and performance.
But in the new statement, Boriowo 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.
According to the statement, 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.”