STUDENT PERFORMANCE IN MATHEMATICS IN WAEC EXAMS

CHAPTER ONE

1.0     INTRODUCTION        

1.1     BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY 

1.2     STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

1.3     OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY     

1.4     RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1.5     RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

1.6     SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

1.7     SCOPE OF THE STUDY

1.8     DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY

1.9     DEFINITION OF TERMS     

CHAPTER TWO

2.0     LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1     CONCEPTUAL CLARIFICATION

2.2     THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

2.3     EMPIRICAL REVIEW

2.4     SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW

CHAPTER THREE

3.0     RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1     RESEARCH DESIGN

3.2     AREA OF STUDY

3.3     POPULATION OF THE STUDY

3.4     RESEARCH SAMPLE AND SAMPLING TECHNIQUE

3.5     INSTRUMENT FOR DATA COLLECTION

3.6     VALIDITY OF THE INSTRUMENT

3.7     METHOD OF DATA COLLECTION

3.8     METHOD OF DATA ANALYSIS

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0     DATA ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION

CHAPTER FIVE

5.0     SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION5.1     SUMMARY

5.2     CONCLUSION

5.3     RECOMMENDATIONS

REFRENCE

APPENDIX

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     Background to the Study

According to Asuru (2006), the West African Examination Council is one of the major examining bodies in Nigeria. The others are the National Teacher’s Institute (NTI), National Business and Technical Examination Board (NABTEB) and Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB). The West African Examinations Council was set up in 1952 as an Inter-territorial body to conduct examinations as would be best suited to the needs of West Africa and as required in the public interest for the four British West African Countries of Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra-Leone and Gambia. Its two functions are; to review and consider annually the examinations to be held in West Africa and to conduct such examinations and award certificates and diplomas on the results of the examination conducted. In Nigeria, WAEC conducted its first examination-the Public Service Executive Competitive Examination in May, 1953. The Lagos office was opened in September of the same year. The council in conjunction with the University of Cambridge Local Examination syndicate conducted for the first time the West African School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in December, 1955, and also the Teacher College grade II (TCII) in the same year. Liberia joined the council as an associate member in March, 1970 and as a full member in 1974.

Mathematics is one of the most important school subjects in the curriculum worldwide. It is a subject that has direct relationship with other subjects, particularly technical and sciences. Mathematics is also a subject that cuts across primary and secondary school as a compulsory subject. Umameh, (2011) in Tshabalala and Ncube, (2013) was of the view that mathematics is bedrock and an indispensable tool for scientific, technological and economic advancement of any nation. In addition to that Davies and Hersh, (2012) see mathematics as the important subject not only from point of view of getting an academic qualification at school or college, but also is a subject that prepares the students for the future as well irrespective of which work of life they choose to be a part of. Mefor, (2014) summarized it all by saying that mathematics relates to everything in the universe from the smallest to the largest. Umameh, (2011) added that mathematics is intimately connected to daily life and everybody’s life-long planning. Therefore, mathematics is a subject that education and human life cannot function effectively without it. Equally, in Nigeria, mathematics is given all the necessary importance in the curriculum and all policies related to education, right from primary to higher levels. In relation to that Federal Republic of Nigeria (FGN) (2004) categorically stated that mathematics is one of the core or basic subject for all primary and secondary school children. In addition to that mathematics is one of the compulsory subjects that must be passed at credit level by students before getting admission into any tertiary institution in Nigeria The importance of mathematics in national development is so high that the Federal Republic of Nigeria enshrined mathematics in the National Policy on Education as a core (compulsory) subject for all primary and secondary schools students in Nigeria (FRN, 2004). Its inclusion as a pre-requisite for admission into science and technology based courses in the Nigerian tertiary institutions is basically because of the recognition of the indispensable role it plays in the advancement of science and technology of any nation (Iyekekpolor & Buleis, 2009). Mathematics is to a nation what protein is to a young human organism. As a vital tool for the understanding and application of science and technology, the subject plays the necessary role of a precursor and harbinger to the much needed technological and natural development of the developing nations of the world.

In the contemporary Nigeria, subsequent to the nation’s endorsement of international protocols for Education for All (EFA); the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the adoption of a National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategies (NEEDS), a greater emphasis is now being placed on industrial and technological development (NERDC, 2007). Consequently, students are being encouraged to take up science and technology related disciplines. Globally today, scientific methods persuade literally field of human endeavour and play a fundamental role in economic development of any country. In our match toward scientific and technological advancement and following our aspiration to be among the first twenty economies in the world by the year 2020 (Obioma, 2009; NERDC, 2007) we need nothing short of good performance of our youths in mathematics at all levels of education. Therefore, this research piece is targeted at comparing analytically, students’ mathematics achievement in the West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE) between 1991 and 2014 years to be sure that Nigerian students are improving in mathematics knowledge over time. The West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination is a school-based ordinary level school certificate examination conducted by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) in Nigeria every May/June.

1.2     Statement of the Problem

Poor performance of students in Nigeria has been a source of concern to researchers, educators, government and parents. Obviously, the great importance that education has on the national development of the country made it so. Research report indicated a consensus of opinion about the fallen standard of education in Nigeria (Adebule, 2004). Parents and government are in total agreement that their investment in education is not yielding the desired dividend. The reports from the West African Examination Council chief examiners indicates that the general performance of the candidates in mathematics for the May/June 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2015 examinations did not differ significantly from those of the previous years (WAEC, 2010, 2011, 2012 & 2015). However, the Chief Examiners also reported that candidates’ performance in mathematics is declining and getting worse every year, even the rate of failure in all subjects appeared to have decline when compared to previous years (WAEC, 2013 & 2014), but there is still low percentage of students passing mathematics excellently it is however the aim of the researcher to make research on the student’s performance in mathematics in Nigeria.

1.3     Objectives of the Study

The main objectives of this study is to find out the performance of students in mathematics in WAEC examination, specifically the study intends to:

1.     Find out the relationship between teacher attitudes towards mathematics and students achievement.

2.     Examine the impact of available mathematics teaching resources and students performance in mathematics.

3.     Find out other school based factors that affect student performance in Mathematics in secondary schools

4.     Investigate student personal factors that affect student performance in Mathematics in secondary schools

5.     Establish strategies that can be adopted to improve performance in Mathematics by students in secondary schools

1.4     Research Questions

1.     Is there is any relationship between teacher attitudes towards mathematics and students achievement?

2.     What is the relationship between available mathematics teaching resources and students performance in mathematics?

3.     What are the school based factors that affect student performance in Mathematics in secondary schools?

4.     Is there any student personal factors that affect student performance in Mathematics in secondary schools?

5.     What are the strategies that can be adopted to improve performance in Mathematics by students in secondary schools?

1.5     Research Hypothesis

Ho: there is no significant factor leading to poor performance of students in mathematics in Sango High School

Hi: there is significant factor leading to poor performance of students in mathematics in Sango High School

1.6     Significance of the Study

This study will serve as a reference on studies concerning students’ performance in mathematics. This research work will make mathematics teachers to help their students perform well in mathematics subject. Teachers will consider students’ cultural backgrounds before actual classroom teaching to know if the students have the basic concepts in particular unit of study in mathematics. Then teachers can be in a position to improve students’ performance in mathematics. The study will also help future researchers to come with findings on how school environments and teachers backgrounds are connected to students’ cultural backgrounds that affects performance in mathematics.

1.7     Scope of the Study

This research work will be conducted in Ogun state, Sango high School in Ado-Odo Otta LGA will be the location for this research work, teachers and students from the school will be sampled for this research work.

1.8     Delimitation of the Study

Finance for the general research work will be a challenge during the course of study. Correspondents also might not be able to complete or willing to submit the questionnaires given to them