Female Students’ Participation and School Location on Performance in Further Mathematics in Senior Secondary Schools (2009 -2012)

Abstract

The study investigated the female students’ participation and school location on performance in further mathematics in Ijebu Ode between 2009 and 2012. Three research questions and descriptive survey research type were used. Four hundred and twenty three candidates whose results were released for further mathematics from six Senior secondary schools were used for this study. One hundred and forty senior students 2 (89 urban schools and 51 rural schools). A computer format was designed to collect results of candidates participated. A forty-five minute, 30 item multiple choice Further mathematics achievement test (FMAT). The instrument had reliability coefficient value of 0.87 using Kuder-Richardson-20 (KR-20) formula and Lawshe method was used to establish the content validity value of 0.78.  The results revealed that female students’ participation in further mathematics is very low and there is a significant difference between the scores of male and female students’ performance on further mathematics from urban and rural schools. However, one of educational implications is that teaching and evaluation strategies in further mathematics classes should be gender-bias free. Thus, further mathematics teachers must be sure to call on girls for answers to questions, and to give them quality praise when appropriate.

Word count: 195

Keywords: Female students’ participation, school location and performance