Petition to the Cabinet of Ministers to Cancel Mathematics NMT for Humanities Admissions Gathers Only 170 Votes
A petition registered on the website of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine calls for the cancellation of the mandatory national multi-subject test (NMT) in mathematics for applicants to humanities specialties. However, as of April 6, the petition has only garnered 170 votes, far short of the 25,000 required for consideration.
On the official website of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, a petition has been registered urging the cancellation of the mandatory national multi-subject test (NMT) in mathematics for those seeking admission to humanities programs. As of April 6, the petition has collected a mere 170 votes, significantly less than the 25,000 needed for it to be reviewed by government officials.
The petition was submitted on January 5, and its author expressed concern that the mandatory inclusion of mathematics in the NMT creates unequal and discriminatory conditions for prospective students. She pointed out that humanities specialties, such as philology, journalism, history, law, psychology, sociology, political science, and social work, primarily require the development of language, analytical, critical, and communicative skills. In her view, in-depth knowledge of mathematics is not professionally necessary for these fields of study.
The petition's author also emphasized that the compulsory mathematics component of the NMT imposes artificial barriers for applicants with a humanities inclination. She believes that this limitation restricts opportunities for candidates who excel in relevant subjects and decreases the overall number of students entering higher education institutions in Ukraine. Furthermore, it exacerbates educational and social inequality among school graduates from different profiles, as the level of mathematics preparation in humanities classes is often lower, despite the uniform requirements for passing the NMT.
It is important to note that the national multi-subject test in 2026 will follow the model that was in place last year. The testing will take place in one day, with the possibility of additional sessions. The list of subjects that must be taken will remain unchanged: applicants will be required to take the Ukrainian language, mathematics, history of Ukraine, and one subject of their choice, which includes foreign languages, biology, geography, physics, chemistry, or Ukrainian literature.
Additionally, all NMT results from 2023 onwards will remain valid and can be used during the 2026 admissions process. This means that applicants who have already taken the test will have the opportunity to utilize their results, which could, in turn, impact their chances of being admitted to higher education institutions.
Thus, the situation surrounding the petition to cancel the mathematics NMT for humanities specialties remains relevant. Despite the low number of votes, the issue of educational accessibility for various categories of applicants continues to provoke discussion among educators and society as a whole.