Publication:

Factors Affecting Poor Performance of Mathematics in K.C.S.E in Mwingi District in Kitui County-Kenya

This research project was geared towards investigating factors leading to poor performance of mathematics in secondary schools in Mwingi district in Kitui County-Eastern Kenya. The study was carried out in public schools where a common syllabus is used. Teachers in these public schools are posted centrally after completing a professional program censured by the ministry of education science and technology. The researcher found that performance in mathematics is greatly influenced by teaching methods, student gender, class size, instructional materials, trained teachers, students’ attitudes and socio-cultural factors. Thus recommendations are made to improve on these factors and sensitization of students effective participation in learning mathematics, could improve performance in mathematics. It was anticipated that the findings of this study will give curriculum developers new insights into emerging issues on performance of mathematics and influence the ministry of education on policy formulation. Students were also expected to benefit from the findings because improved mathematics performance would give them opportunities to pursue science related courses in higher institutions of learning and middle level colleges