FG Eases English And Mathematics Requirements In New Tertiary Admission Policy

By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Correspondent

COMPREHENSIVE REFORMS to admission entry requirements across Nigeria’s tertiary institutions have been approved to widen access to higher education and promote inclusivity.

The announcement was made in a press statement issued on Tuesday by Boriowo Folasade, Director of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Education, who said the initiative was driven by the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa.

According to the statement, the reform marks a decisive step in advancing the Renewed Hope Agenda and aims to democratise access to higher learning while maintaining academic standards.

The Ministry explained that the new policy was introduced in response to outdated and excessively stringent admission requirements that have over the years limited opportunities for many qualified candidates.

The guidelines, which apply to universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and Innovation Enterprise Academies (IEAs), seek to address long-standing imbalances in the nation’s tertiary education system.

In the statement, Dr Alausa noted that the reform became necessary following years of restricted access that left many capable students without admission despite meeting key academic criteria.

He revealed that more than two million candidates sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) annually, yet only about 700,000 secure admissions due to existing constraints.

“This imbalance is not due to lack of ability or commitment but to outdated entry requirements that have continued to limit access,” the Minister stated.

“The revised National Guidelines for Entry Requirements into Nigerian Tertiary Institutions are designed to remove barriers while preserving quality and fairness.”

Under the new framework, admission into specific programmes in universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and IEAs will now require a credit pass in either English Language or Mathematics at the O’Level, depending on the nature of the course.

It further mandates that all tertiary institutions must accept results obtained from two sittings of the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE).

The Minister explained that the existing policy mandating compulsory credit passes in both English and Mathematics for all applicants was identified as a key barrier preventing thousands of qualified candidates from pursuing tertiary education.

The reform, he said, was introduced to ensure that no willing or qualified Nigerian youth is excluded due to inflexible entry policies.

“The time has come to open the doors wider without compromising quality,” Dr Alausa said.

“This reform will guarantee that every qualified Nigerian youth has a fair opportunity to access higher education and fulfil their potential.”

According to the statement, the policy is expected to increase enrolment capacity by between 250,000 and 300,000 students each year, creating wider opportunities for academic and technical advancement.

The Minister added that harmonising admission guidelines across tertiary institutions would help reduce the number of out-of-school youths, strengthen vocational and technical education, and align Nigeria’s system with international and industry standards.

For universities, the minimum requirement remains five credit passes in relevant subjects, including English Language, obtained in not more than two sittings.

Mathematics remains compulsory for Science, Technology, and Social Science courses. In polytechnics at the National Diploma (ND) level, candidates must obtain a minimum of four credit passes in relevant subjects, including English Language for non-science programmes and Mathematics for science-related courses.

At the Higher National Diploma (HND) level, five credit passes in relevant subjects, including English Language and Mathematics, remain the benchmark.

For colleges of education, candidates must secure at least four credit passes, with English Language mandatory for Arts and Social Science programmes and Mathematics compulsory for Science, Vocational, and Technical courses.

The Ministry also confirmed that for Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) programmes, the requirement stands at five credit passes, including English Language and Mathematics.

Innovation Enterprise Academies (IEAs) will now adopt the same standard as polytechnics for ND programmes.

The National Innovation Diploma (NID) is hereby abolished, while the National Industrial Diploma (NID) previously awarded by IEAs will be phased out and replaced with the ND to ensure uniformity and credibility in technical education.

The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has been directed to re-accredit all IEAs nationwide to align with the new ND standards.

The Ministry warned that any institution failing to comply with the transition would face de-accreditation.

The reform comes amid ongoing industrial action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), which began a two-week warning strike to press demands over poor funding, infrastructure decay, and unfavourable working conditions.

The government maintained that while it respects the concerns of academic unions, reforms must continue to ensure that access, equity, and quality remain central to Nigeria’s education policy.