NIGERIAN STUDENTS’ POOR PERFORMANCE IN MATHEMATICS: WHO DO WE BLAME?

Abstract

The poor annual performance of students in mathematics in Nigeria as revealed by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) is a significant concern to the stakeholders in the education industry. This is because many students are denied admission into the nation’s universities, which could have solidified their career aspirations on the account of poor performance in mathematics. The accusing finger has been pointed to the teachers of mathematics as the only major contributor to students’ underperformance in mathematics while other contributors such as parents, students and the Ministry of Education have been rarely blamed. In this paper, the effort is made to espouse the potential players that could influence students’ performance in mathematics. Investigation revealed that the ministry of Education (government), teachers, parents, and students themselves are responsible for the dismal performance of students in mathematics learning in Nigeria. Thus, it is suggested that an ethos of great expectation on the part of the government(s), parents and teachers might influence students’ mathematics success rates in Nigeria. Conclusively, by boosting provenances to inner, malleable, and well-regulated elements, such as effort, rather than ability which is peripheral, static, and uncontrollable, stakeholders like parents and teachers can propagate the intellectual seeds for developmental transformation capable of creating higher and fruitful academic success for students of mathematics in the country