EVALUATION OF THE NATIONAL MATHEMATICS CURRICULUM’S IMPLEMENTATION IN SECONDARY SCHOOL
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Mathematics, or the study of numbers, algebra, geometry, statistics, and calculus, is essential to modern civilization because of its importance in the advancement of science, technology, engineering, and economics. Mathematics has long been thought to be the mother of all knowledge and the queen of all sciences. Science, technology, engineering, the arts, banking and finance, economics, fashion and design, and woodworking are all examples of industries that require it. Recognizing the importance of mathematics in national development, the Federal Republic of Nigeria mandated mathematics education at the senior secondary level (Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2014). Mathematics is a subject that must be taught at the primary and secondary levels of education in Nigeria.
Individuals have defined the term curriculum in a variety of ways. In contrast to Achuonye and Ajoku, Tamer and Tamer (2013) provided a more limited definition of curriculum (2013). Curriculum is defined by Tamer and Tamer (1975), as cited in Achuonye and Ajoku (2013), as the planned and guided learning experiences and intended learning outcomes that are formulated through the systematic reconstruction of knowledge and experience under the auspices of the school, for the purpose of facilitating the learners’ continuous and willful growth in personal-social competence. The curriculum serves as the blueprint for an instructional guide, whereas the mathematics curriculum serves as the blueprint for a mathematical instructional guide. The Mathematics curriculum is a booklet published by the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) that contains a learning experience plan for Mathematics. It includes goals for
Themes, sub-themes, topics, performance objectives, content, teacher and learner activities, and an evaluation guide are all part of the teaching Mathematics curriculum (Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2014).
Mathematics curricula for early childhood, primary, junior secondary, and senior secondary education were developed by the NERDC. The senior secondary mathematics curriculum provides guidance for post-basic education mathematics instruction and serves as a framework for assessing implementation. The goal of the Mathematics curriculum is to ensure that Mathematics is effectively taught and learned. Curriculum evaluation entails gathering and analyzing data in order to make educational program decisions (Achuonye & Ajoku, 2013). Curriculum evaluation is required to determine the extent to which the developed and organized learning experiences produce the desired results. This is due to the fact that actual teaching procedures involve a large number of people.
Variables such as individual student differences, the learning environment in which learning takes place, and the teacher’s skill and personality traits make it impossible to guarantee that the actual learning experiences provided are p (Achuonye & Ajoku, 2013).
It is critical to review the senior secondary mathematics curriculum on a regular basis to ensure that the intended learning experiences truly direct the teacher toward the desired learning objectives.
1.2 THE PROBLEM’S STATEMENT
Effective mathematics curriculum implementation has been a significant issue at all levels of our educational system. The implementation of the Mathematics curriculum, particularly at the senior high school level, has run into a number of stumbling blocks. There are issues with a very high disparity in student-teacher ratios, a lack of instructional materials and learning facilities such as the mathematics laboratory, and a lack of instructional materials and learning facilities such as the mathematics laboratory.
ineffective instructional approaches and a lack of positive student-teacher relationships (Tyler, 2012). As a result, students’ grades in the subject are almost certainly low. Despite the inherent importance of mathematics in human daily activities, empirical data show that students perform poorly in the subject on both the West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the National Examination Council (NECO) (Ajimobi, 2018).
As a result, an assessment of the implementation of the senior secondary mathematics curriculum is required to determine what went wrong. The study will look into how much government and non-government organizations are involved in the implementation of the mathematics curriculum in senior secondary schools.
1.3 THE STUDY’S OBJECTIVES
the primary goal of this
The purpose of this research is to assess the implementation of the national mathematics curriculum in secondary schools. This study specifically aims to:
i. Assess the extent to which the national curriculum for secondary school mathematics content aims and objectives have been met.
ii. Examine teachers’ levels of adherence to the recommended teaching methods outlined in the mathematics curriculum.
iii. Determine the extent to which the mathematics curriculum for secondary schools covers the curriculum’s aims and objectives.
iv. Identify the obstacles to the implementation of a national curriculum for secondary schools.
1.4 QUESTIONS FOR RESEARCH
This study will address the following research questions:
i. To what extent have the aims and objectives of the national secondary school mathematics curriculum been met?
Have the objectives been met?
ii. To what extent have teachers followed the recommended teaching methods outlined in the mathematics curriculum?
iii. To what extent have the contents of the secondary school mathematics curriculum covered the curriculum’s aims and objectives?
iv. What are the obstacles to the implementation of a national curriculum for secondary schools?
1.5 THE STUDY’S IMPORTANCE
This study is notable for the theoretical contributions it will make to the existing literature on the evaluation of secondary school mathematics curricula in Nigeria. The presented findings will be used to supplement existing literature on how to improve biology teaching and learning in the senior secondary school curriculum. The importance of curriculum evaluation in determining the effectiveness of a program cannot be overstated.
course of education. These evaluation studies’ literature adds to the existing body of knowledge about procedures for improving the quality of teaching and learning in schools. Every educational program should be regularly monitored to determine whether or not the program’s objectives have been met. The findings of this study will be critical to the Ministry of Education, the Post Primary Schools Management Board, mathematics instructors, students, and parents, as well as future scholars in the field of mathematics teaching and education, once they are published.
Ministry of Education. The data could help the State Ministry of Education (Quality assurance unit) implement the Federal Ministry of Education’s laws governing mathematics teaching and learning in all public and private secondary schools in Nigeria.
In addition, the Ministry of Education may use the information to plan seminars. Workshops and conferences for principals and mathematics instructors to educate and train them on how to properly apply and enforce the national mathematics curriculum, which covers all aspects of child development.
The study’s findings will be useful to the Post Primary Schools Management Board as well, as they may help them recognize the importance of taking serious measures to ensure that facilities/instructional materials are available and adequate for children attending secondary schools in both urban and rural areas. The knowledge gained from the study’s conclusions may also be useful to PPSMB in ensuring the continued professional development of biology instructors. This may also be advantageous.
By exposing instructors to current developments in mathematics education and child development.
The findings of this study may also benefit parents. This is due to the fact that the high-quality education and care provided to their wards and children through biology teaching programs may also bring joy and happiness to the family. Their children’s education and performance may also ensure a brighter future.
Finally, the findings could be useful to future researchers, particularly those interested in biology education and learning. The information could provide them with empirical data on the extent to which specified minimum criteria for mathematics education in Nigeria are being implemented, which could be useful for future research in related fields.
1.6 STUDY OBJECTIVES
This study’s overarching goal is
to assess the implementation of the national mathematics curriculum in secondary schools. This study will examine the level of compliance of teachers with the recommended teaching methods as indicated in the mathematics curriculum, examine the extent to which the contents of the mathematics curriculum for secondary schools cover the aims and objectives of the curriculum, and identify the problems militating against the curriculum.
The population for this survey will be teachers and students from selected secondary schools in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.
1.7 THE STUDY’S LIMITATIONS
This study’s general focus will be limited to
Evaluating the implementation of the national mathematics curriculum in secondary schools. This study will also examine the level of compliance of teachers with the recommended teaching methods as indicated in the mathematics curriculum, the extent to which the contents of the mathematics curriculum for secondary schools cover the aims and objectives of the curriculum, and identifying the problem areas.
The population for this study will be teachers and students from selected secondary schools in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, so the sample size was limited because only a few respondents were chosen.
to respond to the research instrument, so the findings cannot be generalized to other secondary schools outside of the state.
1.8 TERM DEFINITION
Evaluation is the systematic determination of a subject’s merit, worth, and significance through the use of criteria governed by a set of standards.
Mathematics is a body of knowledge that includes the study of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and spaces in which they exist, and quantities and their changes. There is no general agreement on its precise scope or epistemological status.
Curriculum: A curriculum is broadly defined in education as the totality of student experiences that occur during the educational process. The term is frequently used to refer to a planned sequence of instruction or a point of view. The experiences of students in relation to the educator’s or school’s instructional goals.
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