The Federal Government has insisted that English Language and Mathematics remain mandatory subjects for all students writing their O’Level examinations, despite recent changes to tertiary admission requirements.
The Federal Ministry of Education made the clarification on Sunday, stating that the new policy on streamlined admission criteria does not exempt candidates from registering or sitting for the two core subjects.
The Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, signed the statement following widespread confusion about the newly introduced O’Level admission framework.
Last Tuesday, Boriowo had announced that senior secondary school students pursuing arts and humanities would no longer need a credit in Mathematics for tertiary admissions. She said the reform was designed to expand access to higher education after years of restricted opportunities that prevented many qualified candidates from gaining admission.
She noted that whilst over two million candidates sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination annually, only about 700,000 secure admission—a gap the new policy seeks to bridge.
However, the announcement triggered controversy amongst educationists, with some warning that the policy could breed complacency amongst students and erode academic standards.
In Sunday’s clarification, the ministry emphasised that the reform does not eliminate the requirement for students to register and sit for Mathematics and English Language in their Senior School Certificate Examinations.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, said the reform aims to promote flexibility, inclusiveness and fairness in tertiary admissions, ensuring that capable students are not denied access because of shortcomings in subjects unrelated to their chosen fields of study.
“The streamlining ensures that deserving students are not denied access to higher education due to credit deficiencies in subjects that are not directly relevant to their chosen fields of study,” Alausa said.
He added that the new framework aligns with global best practices and seeks to correct imbalances in the previous admission system.
Whilst the updated guidelines allow tertiary institutions to admit candidates into certain programmes where credit passes in either Mathematics or English are not compulsory, all students must still register for and sit both subjects.
“The adjustment only affects admission criteria for specific programmes, not the requirement to take the subjects,” the ministry stressed.
“All students must continue to take both subjects as part of their Senior School Certificate Examinations, as they remain vital components of a sound educational foundation,” the statement partly read.
The ministry reaffirmed that the reform supports the Federal Government’s broader goal of equitable access, inclusiveness and human capital development, whilst upholding quality and integrity in the education system.
It also urged students, parents and other stakeholders to rely solely on the ministry’s official communication channels and verified social media platforms for accurate updates on education reforms and policy changes.
