Challenges Affecting Mathematics Learning and Performance

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@article{1718530,
      author = {Chidozie Kingsley Kelechi, Alfred Ikenna Dominic},
      title = {Challenges Affecting Mathematics Learning and Performance},
      journal = {Iconic Research And Engineering Journals},
      year = {2026},
      volume = {9},
      number = {12},
      pages = {3911-3917},
      issn = {2456-8880},
      url = {https://www.irejournals.com/formatedpaper/1718530.pdf},
      abstract = {Mathematics occupies a central place in the development of scientific reasoning, technological capacity, and economic growth. Yet, for many students in Nigeria and across Sub-Saharan Africa, success in mathematics remains elusive. Persistent low performance in national examinations such as those conducted by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO), together with uneven outcomes in international assessments including the IGCSE and Cambridge examinations, continues to raise concern among educators and policymakers. This paper reflects on the factors that shape students’ performance in mathematics through a critical engagement with Nigerian, African, and selected international studies. Rather than isolating a single cause, the review points to a combination of learner-related challenges, teacher practices constrained by limited professional support, institutional conditions marked by inadequate resources, and socio-cultural expectations surrounding mathematics. The paper argues that sustainable improvement in mathematics learning in Nigeria depends on coordinated, context-aware reforms that recognise the interconnected nature of these influences.},
      keywords = {Mathematics Education, Socio-Cultural Factors, Teacher Effectiveness and Teaching and Learning.},
      month = {June},
      doi = {https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV9I12-1718530}
  }