FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTS' INTEREST IN MATHEMATICS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN ENUGU STATE

Abstract

This study investigated factors affecting Senior Secondary School Students' Mathematics interest. The factors are student factor, teacher factor, government factor, infrastructural problem, instructional strategy, class size and mathematics anxiety. Two main instruments (FASMRI and MATHRET) constructed and face-validated were administered to 210 Senior
Secondary School one (SSI) Students in the five selected public schools in Enugu and Obollo-Afor Education zones in Enugu State. The reliability coefficient for FASMRI is 0.83 and 0.89 for MATHRET using Split-Half and KR-20/21 procedures respectively. The data collected were analyzed using Pearson Product- moment correlation statistic and multiple regression
analysis technique. Results showed that the seven factors were effective in predicting secondary school students' interest to learn mathematics. More so, teacher factor, student factor, instructional strategy, Mathematics anxiety and infrastructural problem correlate positively with the dependent measure, while class size and government factor correlate negatively with the dependent measure. Nevertheless, the seven factors have significant relative effects on mathematics interest. It is recommended that government should organize
refresher course for mathematics teachers frequently from which teachers can be equipped
with various in structural strategies with which they can use to teach students effectively to enhance their interest for mathematics learning.