The Federal Government has restated that senior secondary school students—whether in science, arts, or commercial classes—are free to register any approved subject of their choice for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE). This comes as confusion over the revised senior secondary curriculum continues to spark debate nationwide.
The clarification was issued in a statement released on Saturday and signed by Boriowo Folashade, Director of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Education. The ministry said the move followed widespread misinformation circulating across social media platforms and in some schools.
According to the ministry, claims suggesting that students must stick strictly to subjects within their designated tracks are false. It stressed that “there is no restriction or exclusion attached to the selection of any approved subject under the Senior Secondary School Curriculum.”
Officials explained that the curriculum was deliberately designed to be flexible, student-focused, and supportive of diverse academic and career pathways. With proper guidance, science students can pick subjects traditionally classified under arts or social sciences. Likewise, arts and commercial students may choose science-based subjects, provided their decisions are supervised by teachers, parents, or certified counsellors.
The ministry also addressed concerns surrounding the subject previously called Information and Communication Technology (ICT), confirming that it has now been renamed Digital Technology. It noted that the change affects only the name, not the curriculum content, and does not disadvantage students who previously offered ICT.
On Trade Subjects, the government stated that six trades are approved under the curriculum. Students may register for these trades only if their schools offer them and they have been formally taught. However, it emphasised that students with no exposure to any of the approved trades are not required to register one as a third subject.
The clarification comes as WAEC registration for the 2026 examination progresses nationwide. The examination body recently urged schools to ensure accuracy in students’ subject entries before the January deadline, warning that errors—especially in subject combinations—have led to withheld or invalidated results in previous years.
The announcement also aligns with broader reforms currently underway in Nigeria’s education sector. Earlier this year, the ministry launched teacher retraining programmes and digital learning initiatives aimed at improving performance in core WAEC subjects, following years of inconsistent pass rates in mathematics and English.
The statement encouraged the public to rely only on verified information, noting that misinformation remains a recurring issue during exam cycles. The ministry assured that additional updates will be released as senior secondary school reforms continue.
