STUDENTS’ ATTITUDE AS CORRELATES OF THEIR ACHIEVEMENT IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL MATHEMATICS IN ANKPA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF KOGI STATE, NIGERIA

This study examined the students’ attitudes as correlates of their achievement in senior Secondary School mathematics in Ankpa Local Government Area of Kogi State of Nigeria. The design was correlational research type. The target populations for the study were mathematics students of senior secondary II (SS II) classes in Ankpa Local Government Area of Kogi State, Nigeria. The sample for the study was 332 mathematics students (male: 166 and female: 166) selected using stratified and simple random sampling techniques. Two hypotheses were raised to guide the study. The instruments used to elicit the relevant data were: A twenty item instrument questionnaire called Mathematics Attitude Scale (MAS) designed by the researchers and the 1st, 2nd and 3rd terms examination scores of students in their senior secondary one mathematics were obtained as the students’ academic achievement. The reliability coefficients of 0.80 MAS were obtained. The data collected were analyzed using Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation. The hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The results revealed that: there is significant relationship between students’ attitude and their academic achievement in mathematics, A significant difference between male and female students’ attitude and their academic achievement in mathematics in secondary school mathematics was also found in favour of female. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended among others that academic achievement is not a gender issue, both male and female should be encouraged to excel in academic achievement since equal opportunities is provided for both sex. Students should be discouraged from forming stereotyped attitude towards certain subjects, because of their sex. This will boost positive competition between males and females, and enhance academic achievement and excellence among senior secondary school mathematics students.