Abstract:
Performance in Mathematics by students has persistently been poor. This study sought to investigate the factors
contributing to the poor performance and to establish the strategies that can be adopted to improve performance
in Mathematics by students in secondary schools in Baringo County in Kenya. The study to determine the school
based factors that affect students’ performance in Mathematics in secondary schools, socio-cultural factors that
affect them and their personal factors that affect performance in Mathematics, and established the strategies that
can be adopted to improve performance in Mathematics. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the
study. The target population was 1876 respondents which comprised of Form Three secondary school students in
Koibatek District, 132 Mathematics teachers and 9 head teachers. The data for the research was collected by use
of three questionnaires; student, teachers and head teachers questionnaires. Factors contributing to poor
performance include under staffing, inadequate teaching/ learning materials, lack of motivation and poor
attitudes by both teachers and students, retrogressive practices. Improving on these factors and sensitization of
the local community to discard practices which prohibit student’s effective participation in learning mathematics
could improve performance in Mathematics. It is anticipated that the findings of this study will give curriculum
developers new insights into emerging issues on performance and influence the Ministry of Education on policy
formulation. Students are also expected to benefit from the findings; because improved mathematics performance
will give them opportunities to pursue science related courses in higher institutions of learning and middle level
colleges.
