On the Frontline With Boma
There are times when you hear a government decision and you ask yourself—did anyone actually think this through? That was the question on my mind when the news broke that the Federal Ministry of Education had announced that Mathematics would no longer be compulsory for entry into Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.
For a moment, the country stood still in disbelief. How, in this day and age, could a nation that’s already lagging behind in technology and innovation, even toy with the idea of removing Mathematics from its core entry requirements?
It sounded absurd,almost like a bad joke that travelled too far. And yet, it was real.
The announcement drew instant outrage from educators, parents, and professionals across the country. People wondered how a government so eager to push its “Renewed Hope” agenda could make such a hope-dampening decision.
Thankfully, the backlash was swift, and the Ministry quickly reversed itself. But the damage was done. The indecision had already revealed something deeply troubling—how easily critical policies in our education system can be made, unmade, and remade, all in the space of a news cycle.
It is this kind of confusion that makes many Nigerians fear for the future of education in the country. You can’t build consistency or progress on guesswork.
Mathematics, to put it plainly, is not just a school subject, it is the language of science, the heartbeat of technology, and the logic of everyday life. You can’t talk about artificial intelligence, data science, or even basic accounting without it.
In a world driven by algorithms and analytics, removing Mathematics from our educational requirements would be like unplugging the power source from a running machine. Everything stops working.
Look at countries like Singapore, China, and India—nations that once faced challenges similar to ours. They made Mathematics and Science the cornerstone of their reforms, and today, they’re world leaders in technology and innovation.
Meanwhile, Nigeria a country blessed with bright, creative young people is busy debating whether or not to make Mathematics optional. If that doesn’t make one sigh in frustration, what will?
Our leaders need to understand that Mathematics is not just about numbers on a blackboard; it’s about the way we think, plan, and solve problems. Space exploration, vaccine development, and digital breakthroughs are all built on mathematical principles.
Even in the marketplace, the trader calculating her profit, the tailor measuring fabric, or the farmer planning yields—each is applying Mathematics in real life.
And yet, we almost made it optional.
I remember my own early struggle with Mathematics. It was my least favourite subject in school. When teachers started scribbling calculus on the board, I’d quietly drift away, praying the lesson would end soon. But once the topic turned to statistics—mean, median, and mode,l suddenly became alert. That part made sense to me.
Looking back now, I realise my problem wasn’t Mathematics,it was how it was taught. Many teachers back then, and even now, taught by rote, not by connection. They didn’t consider the learner’s background, interests, or pace. Mathematics, taught without meaning, becomes intimidation, not inspiration.
But as I grew older, life taught me that Mathematics was everywhere—in journalism, in writing, in research ,planning projects, in budgeting. Numbers rule everything around us, even in ways we don’t see.
The government, at some point, understood this too. That’s why it made English and Mathematics compulsory for tertiary entry because communication and computation form the twin pillars of modern learning.
So, when the Ministry suddenly suspended Mathematics, one wondered—had we forgotten what brought us here? Had we become so short-sighted that we could gamble with the very foundation of our future?
Nigerians are already breaking new ground in technology and innovation. Some are designing vaccine models. Others are coding apps and building startups that are getting global attention. Imagine what could happen if future generations were denied the basic discipline that fuels all of this.
The truth is, Nigeria can’t afford to play politics with education anymore. We already have too many challenges: underfunded schools, inadequate teachers, outdated curriculum, and poor infrastructure. What we need now are reforms that strengthen learning, not policies that confuse it.
If the government truly wants to help students who struggle with Mathematics, the solution is not to scrap it,but to teach it better.
We can make Mathematics friendly, practical, and digital. Use technology—interactive games, smart classrooms, and real-life problem-solving approaches. Let students see that Mathematics is not punishment; it’s possibility.
Policy should be forward-thinking, not reactionary. Nations don’t advance by running from difficult subjects; they grow by mastering them.
The Tinubu administration needs to understand that indecision in education has far-reaching consequences. A single wrong policy today can create a generation unprepared for tomorrow’s digital economy.
So, let this serve as a wake-up call: Mathematics must remain the foundation of Nigerian education. It is the gateway to innovation, the bridge to digital competence, and the passport to a smarter future.
Because no nation can rise above its education,and no education can thrive without Mathematics.
If Nigeria abandons Mathematics today, It might as well abandon the dream of a technological tomorrow.
That’s the frontline truth.
On the Frontline With Boma is published by the Port Harcourt Telegraph Newspaper.and current matters online.
