The federal government has denied removing Mathematics as a compulsory subject for students registering for Senior School Certificate Examinations to secure admission into tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

The minister said, “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 minister of education, Tunji Alausa, made the clarification on Sunday, in a statement signed by the ministry’s director of press and public relations, Boriowo Folasade.

Mr Alausa, insisted that both Mathematics and English remain core subjects for all candidates sitting for the Senior School Certificate Examination, organised by the West African Examination Council and National Examination Council, with no student exempted.

“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.”

Stating that the adjustment only affects admission criteria for specific programmes, not the requirement to study or take the subjects, the minister noted that the new framework is aimed at promoting flexibility, inclusiveness, and fairness in tertiary education admissions, in order to ensure that capable students are not denied access because of deficiencies in subjects not related to their courses.

The ministry, therefore, advised stakeholders to only rely on its official communication channels and verified social media platforms for accurate updates on reforms and policies.

According to the ministry, the clarification became imperative following the public misinterpretation of the new policy on streamlined admission criteria, after reports on Tuesday, claimed O’ Level students in arts and humanities were exempted from scoring credits in Mathematics to secure university and polytechnic admission.