Following the recent decision of the Federal Government to drop mathematics as a compulsory subject for arts students seeking admission into higher institutions, teachers and parents have described the decision as a step in the wrong direction, likely to do more harm than good to the already fragile educational system of the country.
Recall that a few days ago, the Federal Ministry of Education announced that Nigerian senior secondary school students in arts and humanities would no longer be required to present a credit in mathematics in their Senior School Certificate Examination, organised by the West African Examination Council and National Examination Council, as a condition for admission to universities and polytechnics.
For years, admission seekers in arts and humanities, like their contemporaries in sciences and social sciences, have been mandated to have five credits, including mathematics and English language, to secure admission into higher institutions.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, described the reform as a deliberate effort to expand access to tertiary education.
Mr. Seun Ibitoye, a mathematics teacher, described the move by the Federal Government as unjustifiable, saying that it is unhealthy for the education and development of Nigeria in future.
Ibitoye, who said that the present era is one in which people want to attain success in a quick and easy way, added that mathematics is a universal subject that ought to remain compulsory for all secondary school students.
He said, “Many students have been developing a kind of hatred for the subject as a result of our society losing the culture of hard work, shortage of teachers and lack of experienced teachers to handle the subject.
“Government has been shying away from their responsibility towards education in various ways like low remuneration, lack of teachers in our schools and others; and these are the issues that ought to be addressed.”
Ibitoye warned that this development could make an overwhelming majority of secondary school students opt for arts subjects, instead of science and social science.
He said that it could cause a big setback for Nigeria in the present technological age.
Mr, Paul Isah, a mathematics and physics teacher, said that the reform has the potential to be healthy, provided that certain conditions are met.
He said that it can promote equity, help students focus on where their strengths lie, and reduce unnecessary barriers, but its success depends heavily on how well it’s implemented, and whether support systems are put in place to deal with the downsides or not.
However, Isah pointed out that this policy might make students less serious about mathematics at the secondary school level, which is not healthy for the education system.
His words: “In a country like ours, where many people do not end up working in the fields they studied, mathematics remains an essential basic skill for everyday life.
“Even if it is not directly related to one’s career, a good foundation in mathematics helps in reasoning, problem-solving, and making informed decisions.
“Therefore, it should still be encouraged and maintained as a core subject at the basic and secondary school levels.”
Mrs. Comfort Mshelia, also a teacher, said dropping mathematics as a compulsory subject for arts students is unhealthy, adding that everybody needs a basic knowledge of every subject, including mathematics.
Mshelia stressed that secondary school mathematics is simple enough for every student to understand if the teachers simplify it through innovative teaching methods.
Her words, “If they drop mathematics as a compulsory subject for arts students, how do they learn to deal with money? How will they do basic calculations? I don’t think it’s healthy. The government should look into it.”
A parent who identified herself as Funmilayo faulted the action taken by the Federal Government, saying that it is another way of making students lazy because there are some students who naturally do not have interest in mathematics.
She said, “Why will they say mathematics is not a compulsory subject for arts students? Are they now saying it’s only science students that will be offering mathematics?
“By saying it’s not a compulsory subject, the government is already giving lazy students who do not want to learn mathematics the freedom they crave.
“Therefore, for me, it’s a capital No.”
Another parent, Mrs. Alice Samuel, described the Federal Government’s decision as a positive development, saying that mathematics being a compulsory subject for all students previously hampered the progress of students who did not really need it.
She said that such students previously had their admission into higher institutions delayed, but that should change with the new policy.
Similarly, Mr, Damola Ojenike, another teacher, agreed with the Federal Government’s decision, saying that mathematics is not the only way to assess a student.
He emphasised that there are students who are naturally deficient in arithmetic but excel in other areas of knowledge. He stressed that such students should not be forced to pursue an academic path they are not mentally inclined towards
His words, “Education, the way we handle it in Nigeria, seems only to test IQ or logic, and I don’t think that is the only way to examine a student.
“There are people who know next to nothing about mathematics. In fact, when they see numbers they are threatened; yet, other parts of their brains are developed and they excel in other spheres.
“I don’t know who told us that we have to force mathematics on students.
“This policy doesn’t stop any child from learning mathematics as a subject; it’s just that they don’t have to score a credit in it to gain admission to a higher institution, especially as arts students.”