By Amos Aar
THE NIGERIAN Mathematical Society (NMS) has appealed to the Federal Government to reconsider its proposed policy to remove Mathematics as a compulsory requirement for admission into universities and other tertiary institutions for Arts and Humanities students, warning that such a move could weaken Nigeria’s education standards and cognitive foundation.
The proposal, reportedly under review by education policymakers, is aimed at reducing academic pressure on students by allowing those in non-science fields to gain admission without a credit pass in Mathematics.
However, stakeholders have expressed fears that the policy could lead to a decline in critical thinking and problem-solving skills among future graduates.
Addressing journalists during a press conference held in Makurdi on Friday, the President of the Nigerian Mathematical Society, Prof. Godwin Christopher Mbah, said the decision was inconsistent with the nation’s educational goals and would have far-reaching consequences on students’ intellectual development.
He stressed that Mathematics is not just a science subject but “a universal language of reasoning and a cornerstone of intellectual development across all disciplines, including the Arts and Humanities.”
“Mathematics enhances reasoning, employability, analysis, adaptability, and decision-making. If it is no longer compulsory, students from JSS1 to SS3 will lose motivation and interest in learning the subject, which will in turn affect their performance in national examinations and their overall academic quality”, Mbah stated.
Mbah noted that excluding Mathematics from admission requirements would weaken analytical and problem-solving abilities among students, reduce academic rigor in higher education, and make graduates less competitive in a global economy that increasingly depends on data and quantitative reasoning.
He also faulted inconsistencies in the education system, recalling the earlier scrapping of History as a core subject — a move that, according to him, left a generation of students ignorant of the country’s heritage. “We must learn from that mistake,” he warned, calling on the government to “either maintain the standard or improve upon it.”
The NMS President maintained that Mathematics plays a vital role in national development, saying, “A nation that undermines mathematical literacy undermines its economic and technological progress.”
He appealed to the Federal Government to sustain Mathematics as a core subject for all fields of study, stressing that “maintaining a minimum standard of quantitative literacy is crucial for national growth.”
Also speaking during the briefing, a media consultant and founder of the Lordship of Christ Family Ministry, Makurdi, Apostle Dr. Mtswenem Tor David, commended the NMS delegation “for coming all the way from Enugu to Benue State to speak out on such a critical national issue.”
Dr. Mtswenem further hailed the Benue State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), led by Comrade Bemdoo Ugber, for its ongoing efforts to rid the profession of quackery through journalist screening. He urged the union to remain resolute in its professional reforms.
“You don’t go and mess up in the Nigerian Bar Association or the Nigerian Medical Association. Once you are not qualified to be there, you can’t be there. Make it a policy to ensure that media assistants and press secretaries appointed by politicians are professional journalists.
“What we are witnessing is terrible! People who are not supposed to be media assistants are there. Look at the type of statements that are issued and withdrawn. In fact, it is destroying the image of the journalism profession. So keep on the fight. I know it’s not going to be easy, but as you do that, you will have a better society for our state.”
In his remarks, NUJ Chairman Comrade Bemdoo Ugber assured the NMS of adequate media publicity to amplify its appeal to the Federal Government. He also assured to sustain the fight against quackery in journalism profession to achieve a better society.
The NMS, established in 1980, is said to be a non-political organization dedicated to promoting the teaching and study of mathematical sciences in Nigeria. The society restated its commitment to advocating educational policies that strengthen critical thinking and intellectual discipline across all academic fields.
