Teachers’ Perceived Causes of Poor Performance in Mathematics by Students in Basic Schools from Ningo Prampram, Ghana

Abstract

The study aimed at determining factors influencing poor performance of students in mathematics in selected Basic Schools in the Ningo Prampram District in Accra, Ghana. Descriptive research design was adopted in which random and convenience sampling method was used to select 60 teachers for the study. Data was collected through questionnaire analysed using SPSS version 21. The study found that the most highly ranked school environmental factors responsible for student's low academic performance in mathematics were lack of supervision and monitoring of teachers by head teachers and circuit supervisors, larger class size and lack of teaching and learning materials in school. Similarly, the most highly ranked teacher factor that contributed to student's low academic performance in mathematics was untrained teachers teaching the subject. Also, high level of absenteeism among students and unruly student behaviour were the most highly ranked student's characteristics responsible for their poor performances in mathematics. For parental support, the highly ranked variables that contributed to poor performance in mathematics were parents not helping wards with their homework, inability of parents to provide wards essential instructional needs for mathematics studies and parents inability to approach the school to ascertain how their wards are faring in mathematics. However, independent t-test and ANOVA analyses did not find statistical differences between the gender of teachers and the qualifications with regards to perceived causes of low performance in mathematics. .It is recommended that metropolitan, directorate and circuit supervisors intensify supervision and provision of learning materials in schools.