By Dr. Gberindyer F. Aondover
The recent pronouncement by the Federal Ministry of Education regarding the Revised National Guidelines for Entry Requirements into Nigerian Tertiary Institutions has sparked debate among stakeholders. The policy removes the prerequisite for a credit pass in Mathematics for admission into Law and Arts programmes but retains it for science, technology, and social science programmes.
Historically, prior to the second term of Rtd. Gen. Dr. Obasanjo’s administration, a credit pass in Mathematics was not a prerequisite for undergraduate admissions into Arts and Humanities programmes, as well as many Social Science programmes (except Economics, Accounting, Insurance, and Actuarial Sciences programmes). The current policy change partly reverts to pre-Obasanjo’s position but still maintains that a credit pass in O’ level is a prerequisite for admission into Social Science programmes like Philosophy, Political Science, International Relations/Studies, Sociology, Social Works, and LIS. Many do not know this aspect of the current policy.
The Ministry’s intention to remove unnecessary barriers for admission while maintaining academic standards is commendable. However, the fundamental issue limiting access to tertiary education in Nigeria is not the O’ level admission requirements but inadequate learning facilities and manpower, which limits the student-carrying capacity of these tertiary institutions. The average NUC specified lecturers/students ratio is 1:15, which is currently not obeyed by many institutions, and it’s adversely affecting both the students and the lecturers.
Aside from criteria like merit, catchment areas, and educationally less developed states (ELDS), tertiary institutions consider facilities and manpower available to handle students adequately as major criteria for the number of students to be admitted during an academic session. Our study reveals that over 90% of applicants obtain the required O’level credits for admission, but their challenge lies in UTME scores based on their chosen programmes and institutions requirements. Their problem is no longer O’ level requirements because currently there are many options (examination bodies, e.g. WAEC, NECO, and NABTEB) for obtaining O’ level results and most of these bodies conduct O’ level examinations twice in a year (internal and external examinations).
Again, the laws establishing public universities and the University Autonomy Act (a product of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement) empower university Senates to control/ regulate their academic activities and programmes, admission criteria, and graduation requirements. Therefore, each university should have the autonomy to determine the prerequisites for admission into their programmes.
It is important to say here that Mathematics prepares children and youths on how to navigate the inevitable complex challenges in various aspects of life, not limiting to sciences and social sciences. It’s not just about dealing with numbers; but it is a cognitive baseline that reassures critical thinking, logic, and precision. It is essential for both Scientists, Social Scientists, and those in Arts and Humanities alike, who often need numerically or non-numerical based problem-solving skills to perform optimally at work. Thus, any policy that would discourage pupils in primary and secondary schools from taking mathematics serious should be reconsidered. Definitely, this policy would discourage many secondary school students from offering mathematics or taking it serious and even registering it for O’ level examinations. Attempting Mathematics or having a pass in O’ level examination should be considered in Arts and Humanities as a prerequisite for admission, and not necessarily a credit pass as it’s currently the condition.
Rather than reviewing admission requirements, the Federal Government should focus on implementing the renegotiated and reviewed 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement, which emphasises improved funding for the educational system. This would lead to improved facilities and manpower, increasing the carrying capacity of tertiary institutions and enabling more applicants to be admitted annually.
Thus, while the policy aims to increase access to tertiary education, it is essential to address the underlying issues limiting access. Panadol relieves fever and pains which are consistent symptoms of malaria, but using it alone will not treat malaria (the underlying cause of fever and pains) except you administer an anti-malaria drug that would eliminate malaria parasite ( _Plasmodium spp_ ) which is the inciting cause of those symptoms.
We therefore recommend that the Federal Ministry of Education should prioritise implementing policies that improve the quality of education, increase funding, and enhance facilities and manpower in tertiary institutions as contained in Ahmed Yayale Committee draft of late Prof. Nimi Briggs-led Committee’s 2009 ASUU-FGN Renegotiated Agreement. This approach would have a more significant impact on expanding access to education and promoting national development.
Dr. Gberindyer is the office Convener, BRAN
