Perceptions of Teachers on the Role Played by Supplementary Tuition on Mathematics for Students Doing Ordinary Level, A Case Study of Hwange District

Abstract

Mathematics has been viewed as the most difficult subject in the secondary school particularly by children in developing countries (Skemp 2008). And yet in spite of it being perceived as a difficult subject, mathematics is a fundamental part of human thought and logic and integral at attempts to understanding the world and ourselves. Evidence shows that students in many countries fail mathematics (Lynons 2010). Literature has a plethora of reasons for high failure rate of mathematics. For example, Polya (2011) states that shortage of well-trained teachers, inadequacy of teaching facilities, poor quality textbooks, large classes, poorly motivated teachers, poorly coordinated supervisory activities, incessant transfers of teachers and heads, automatic promotion of pupils, the negative role of public examinations, and inequality of educational opportunities, all hamper the smooth acquisition of mathematics knowledge. As a result of this situation, there has been a sudden deluge of supplementary tuition or extra-tuition. The practice of offering extra tuition has both social and economic implications on those involved. Parents pay the regular school fees and are then asked or volunteer to part with more money in the form of tuition for extra-lessons. This study sought to investigate teachers’ perceptions on the role played by supplementary-tuition or extra-lessons on the performance of pupils at ordinary level in secondary schools in Hwange District in Zimbabwe. The population comprised of 450 secondary school teachers in the district. Random sampling was used to arrive at a sample of 100 respondents who comprised of 58 females and 42 males. The study adopted the descriptive survey design and the questionnaire was the major instrument for collecting data. The main findings indicated that teachers felt that supplementary tuition in mathematics improved the results of those pupils who received it. The study also revealed that teachers felt that time allocated for mathematics was inadequate. The recommendations are that time allocated to mathematics should be increased right from the primary school to the secondary school level. Another recommendation was that properly qualified teachers to teach mathematics should be deployed in all the schools to avoid supplementary-tuition. Keywords: Supplementary tuition, Ordinary level, Student, Mathematics, Teachers, Tuition, Extra-tuition