Effects of Students Gender on Mathematics Performance in Primary Schools in Keiyo South District, Kenya

Abstract

Mathematics has been viewed as a subject favoring male students due to factors like attitude, methods used for teaching and so on. This has resulted to gender differences between male and female students in Mathematics performance. The study sought to find out the relationship gender of students and mathematics performance. Descriptive survey design was used in the study to investigate the attitudes of primary school learners towards mathematics. Data was collected by use of questionnaires, interview schedules and class examination administered previously. The accessible population was teachers of Mathematics and Standard Eight learners from selected primary schools in Keiyo South District, Kenya. Sample study comprised of 300 learners (150 male students and 150 female students) and all teachers of Mathematics from the sampled schools in Keiyo South District, Kenya. Stratified random sampling was used to categorize schools in either boarding or day schools. Simple random sampling was used to select 50 schools from 119 primary schools and 5 male students and 5 female students from each selected Standard Eight class. The study used purposive sampling technique to select Mathematics Teachers. Simple random sampling technique was used to select Mathematics teachers for interview. Data was collected using questionnaire and interview schedule. It was established that majority of the students (boys and girls) had a positive attitude towards learning of mathematics. However, when comparing the attitudes of boys and girls, the results demonstrated that boys were more inclined to positive attitudes than girls.