Factors influencing senior high school students’ performance in core mathematics s in the Greater Accra region of Ghana

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the factors that influence students‘ performance in Core Mathematics in Senior High Schools in the Greater Accra region of Ghana. The areas examined included school environment, teacher effectiveness qualities, student attitude, and parental involvement. A mixed method approach was employed, combining quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. The study involved a survey administered to a randomly selected sample of students after purposive sampling and stratification; interviews with school principals and focus group discussions with parents. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data collected. The findings revealed several key factors influencing students‘ performance in Core Mathematics, that is the school environment, availability of resources, teacher effectiveness, student attitude, and parental involvement. The most significant determinant of students' performance in Core Mathematics among these factors was their attitude. It was discovered that having a positive attitude toward learning mathematics improved achievement while having a negative attitude hampered learning. Collaboration between parents and schools was highlighted as crucial for improving mathematics education. Effective partnerships between parents and schools contributed to increased student motivation, self-worth, and socialemotional learning abilities. However, challenges such as diverse family structures, language barriers, and limited communication channels need to be addressed to promote parental involvement. The findings also concluded that strategies and interventions to improve students‘ mathematical learning and achievement included creating a positive classroom atmosphere, ensuring sufficient school resources, promoting effective teacher-student interaction and communication, providing supportive guidance, fostering self-confidence and developing positive attitude towards Mathematics, and encouraging regular practice and this will improve students‘ mathematical learning outcomes in schools in the Greater Accra region. The most important determinant of students' performance in Core Mathematics among these variables was their attitude. It was discovered that having a positive attitude toward learning mathematics improved achievement while having a negative attitude hampered learning.