Comparative Analysis of Mathematics Scores of Student Sat Secondary School Level and Tertiary Institutions in Jos, Plateau State

Abstract

Mathematics is used in everyday life in social, economic, arts, science or technology. However, empirical evidence shows that students rarely achieve good and accepted grades in the subject almost at all levels learning. Research findings indicate that this low achievement may be attributed to various factors such as inappropriate pedagogy, students' attitude towards learning, lack of motivation for teachers and learners, curriculum content in relation to materials and delivery strategies among other factors. The purpose of this study is to analyze and compare undergraduate students' achievement scores in Elementary Mathematics with assumed O'level foundation. Ex Post Facto Designs and interview were used to source data for this study. Records of results from the 2012 to 2017 of the undergraduate student of University of Jos were used to answer the three research questions and four hypotheses which were raised in this study. The results of 1,500 undergraduate students were sampled from three randomly selected faculties for the study using multistage sampling technique and one hundred students other than those whose results were been selected were interviewed on where their WASSCE and NECO Examination were written and why. It was discovered that most of the students left their original secondary schools for ‘a miracle centre to write their O’levels which led to great grades but they couldn’t sustain the tempo as the campus condition is totally different. The findings revealed that their failure in Elementary Mathematics in 100L was as a result of not being well grounded in Mathematics at the secondary school level as it also revealed that students who gained admission with C5 and C6 are really doing better than those with A1 and A2. Recommendations were made based on the findings of the study.