The Federal Ministry of Education has again moved to calm rising concerns over subject choices under the revised Senior Secondary School Curriculum after weeks of confusion triggered by unofficial lists and conflicting information shared across schools and social platforms. The latest guidance follows reports of schools instructing students to drop subjects or switch combinations due to fears that some courses had been removed or restricted.
In a statement issued in Abuja, the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa FAMedS, CON, and the Minister of State for Education, Professor Sa’id Suwaiba Ahmad, said there was never a policy stopping students from choosing subjects outside their study track.
They noted that the misunderstanding mainly came from circulating claims suggesting that science students could no longer select arts or social science subjects, and vice versa. According to Dr Alausa, “there is no restriction or exclusion attached to the selection of any approved subject within the Senior Secondary School Curriculum.”
The ministers explained that the curriculum remains flexible and student centred. They stressed that all subjects are fully open for selection as long as students receive proper guidance from parents, school authorities or certified counsellors. Professor Ahmad added that a science student can still sit for economics or government, while an arts student may pick biology or agricultural science if it aligns with their interests and future plans.
Today’s clarification also addressed the confusion surrounding the former Information and Communication Technology subject. Some students had expressed fear over whether their previous ICT results would count under the new system.
The Ministry said the course was only renamed Digital Technology and the content remained the same. “Students who previously offered Information and Communication Technology are therefore fully eligible to sit for Digital Technology,” the ministers explained.
Another area of concern involved Trade Subjects, where claims surfaced that students must register for at least one of six approved trade courses even if they had never been taught them. The Ministry corrected this, saying students may register for trade subjects only if their school offers them and they have received instruction. If a student has not studied any of the trade options, there is no requirement to sit for them.
Parents, teachers and school proprietors were urged to ignore unverified information and instead guide students through credible channels as WAEC registration continues. The Ministry said it remains committed to a smooth transition into the revised curriculum and assured that no learner will be disadvantaged by misinformation.
It promised to continue providing accurate updates and ensuring that registration across the country is seamless, coordinated and supportive of students’ academic choices.
