JAMB Announces Major Admission Policy Shift: Mathematics No Longer Compulsory for Many University Courses

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced a significant adjustment to university admission requirements in Nigeria, revealing that Mathematics will no longer be compulsory for admission into many tertiary institution courses across the country.
The development was disclosed by the Director of Public Affairs and Protocol of JAMB, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, during an appearance on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) programme, Good Morning Nigeria.
According to him, the new policy is aimed at aligning admission requirements with the actual academic needs of various courses, especially in the Arts, Humanities, and some Social Science-related disciplines where Mathematics may not be directly relevant.
However, he clarified that Mathematics will still remain a compulsory requirement for specific courses, particularly those in:
1. Engineering
2. Medicine and Health Sciences
3. Physical Sciences
4. Computer-related disciplines
5. Technology and other calculation-based programmes
The policy adjustment is expected to provide relief to many prospective candidates who previously struggled to secure university admission due to deficiencies in Mathematics despite performing well in subjects related to their intended fields of study.
Education stakeholders have described the move as a progressive step toward creating a more flexible and inclusive admission system that better reflects students’ strengths and career interests.
JAMB also emphasized that individual institutions will still retain the right to determine their specific admission requirements depending on the nature of the course being offered.
The announcement has already sparked nationwide discussions among students, parents, and education experts, with many awaiting further clarification and official implementation guidelines from the Board.
More details are expected to be released by JAMB in the coming weeks regarding the full list of courses affected by the policy change and how it will apply to future admission exercises.