Students’ Attitude towards Mathematics and Academic Performance in Public Senior Secondary Schools Madagali Local Government Area, Adamawa State

This study focused on the attitude of students towards mathematics and academic performance in senior secondary schools in Madagali Local Government Area of Adamawa State. This study adopted a descriptive survey research design as it deals with people’s views and hence was relevant to the study area. Two hundred (200) students responded to the questionnaire. Data were collected using the questionnaire and were analysed using mean, frequency counts and percentages to answer research questions 1 and 2 while t-test was used to test the two hypotheses raised at 0.05 levels of significance. The t-test analysis showed that there is a significant relationship between students’ attitude and their academic performance in mathematics. The t-test analysis of students’ responses to their attitude to Mathematics based on gender showed there is no significant difference between male and female students’ attitude towards mathematics. Based on the research findings, the following conclusions were made; there is a significant relationship between students’ attitude towards mathematics and their academic performance in Mathematics within Madagali Local Government Area. Also, that despite the low achievement of students in Madagali Local Government Area of Adamawa State, a positive relationship on attitude towards mathematics and performance in mathematics was detected. The following are recommended based on the findings of this study; There is need for mathematics teachers to help students have positive attitude towards mathematics by helping them to build confidence and by encouraging the belief that everyone can do mathematics. The Parent Teacher Association (PTA), Philanthropists and the Government should boost the mathematics achievement of students by building mathematics laboratories and providing library facilities in schools. Also, there is need for parents to encourage and sustain positive attitude towards mathematics in their children by providing the necessary materials for learning mathematics and ensuring that the home is conducive for learning.