More Nigerian students will have easier access to higher education thanks to new admissions standards adopted by the Federal Government.
Boriowo Folasade, Director of Press and Public Relations for the Federal Ministry of Education, revealed this in a statement.
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The Ministry of Education claims that the new strategy aims to provide more young Nigerians with equitable access to tertiary education and higher education.
According to the ministry, lowering certain credit limits and standardising entry requirements will provide room for an extra 250,000 to 300,000 admissions every year.
The reforms are promoted as a means of strengthening pipelines for technical and vocational training, lowering the proportion of youth who are not in school, and aligning Nigeria’s postsecondary system with industry and international standards.
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What does this mean for Nigerian students?
This policy can be a lifesaver for a lot of Nigerian students. Less than half of the more than two million applicants who take the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) each year are admitted. Many of the people who are rejected fulfil the majority of the standards but struggle in one or two areas.
By lowering access barriers while upholding educational requirements, the new framework aims to change that.
Regardless of the course or kind of institution, the majority of Nigerian tertiary institutions previously required at least five credit passes in no more than two sittings, including English and mathematics.
Even when they fulfilled other academic or professional requirements, some students found it challenging to be admitted due to this general rule, which was established by regulatory organisations such as JAMB and the relevant tertiary commissions.
The criterion has been modified to match the character and emphasis of each school under the recently adopted National Guidelines for Entry Requirements, giving applicants greater flexibility.
| Institution Type | Current Requirement | Previous Requirement |
| Universities | Five credit passes in relevant subjects, including English Language, obtained in not more than two sittings. Mathematics is only mandatory for Science, Technology, and Social Science courses. | Five credits, including English and Mathematics, required across all programmes. |
| Polytechnics (ND level) | Minimum of four credit passes in relevant subjects. English is compulsory for non-science courses, while Mathematics is required for science-related programs. | Five credit passes, including English and Mathematics, were mandatory across all disciplines. |
| Polytechnics (HND level) | Five credit passes, including English and Mathematics. | Five credits, including English and Mathematics, always required. |
| Colleges of Education (NCE level) | Minimum of four credit passes in relevant subjects. English mandatory for Arts and Social Science courses; Mathematics required for Science, Vocational, and Technical programmes. | Five credits, including English and Mathematics, were compulsory for all applicants. |
| Colleges of Education (B.Ed level) | NCE level: Minimum of four credit passes (English mandatory for Arts/Social Sciences; Mathematics for Science/Vocational/Technical). B.Ed level: Requires five credit passes, including English and Mathematics where applicable. | Five credits, including English and Mathematics, required for admission. |
Note that the previous rule requires five credits for all programmes.
FG Is Removing Old Qualifications
Additionally, the government declared the elimination of the National Innovation Diploma (NID), which was previously granted by Innovation Enterprise Academies (IEAs). In order to guarantee consistency and chances for advancement for graduates, IEAs will henceforth award the National Diploma (ND) in its stead.
In order to bring their programmes into compliance with ND requirements, the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has started re-accrediting IEAs. Under the new structure, any IEA that is unable to obtain full certification risks de-accreditation.
- The government underlined that standards will not be lowered in order to lessen entry obstacles. The updated framework maintains five-credit thresholds for programs that demand them and links some course admission to particular topics (for instance, mathematics for science-related courses).
- The goal of IEAs’ NBTE reaccreditation is to preserve quality and guarantee that graduates can progress academically and professionally.
