Olushola Omogbehin
The Federal Ministry of Education has announced that senior secondary school students in the humanities will no longer be mandated to obtain a credit pass in Mathematics in the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) organised by the West African Examination Council and National Examination Council before gaining admission to Nigerian higher institutions.
For many years, student seeking admission into higher institution across all disciplines, sciences, social sciences, arts, and humanities were mandated to secure at least five credits, including English Language and Mathematics, to qualify for admission into higher institutions.
According to a statement on Tuesday by the spokesperson of Ministry of Education Folasade Boriowo, “The revised National Guidelines for Entry Requirements into Nigerian Tertiary Institutions are designed to remove barriers while maintaining academic standards.”
According to her, the new framework applies to universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and Innovation Enterprise Academies across Nigeria.
The revised minimum entry conditions for all higher institutions are:
Universities: Minimum of five credit passes in relevant subjects, including English Language, obtained in not more than two sittings. Mathematics is compulsory only for Science, Technology, and Social Science courses.
Polytechnics (ND Level): Minimum of four credit passes in relevant subjects, with English Language compulsory for non-science courses and Mathematics compulsory for science-related programmes while HND minimum requirements are five credit passes, including English Language and Mathematics.
“Colleges of Education (NCE Level): Minimum of four (4) credit passes in relevant subjects, with English Language mandatory for Arts and Social Science courses, and Mathematics required for Science, Vocational, and Technical programs.”
Dr. Tunji Alausa emphasised that the reform was a deliberate move to increase access to tertiary education across the country.
