School Type and Mathematics Achievement in English-Speaking Primary Schools in Cameroon: Implications for Technological Development

Endeley Margaret Nalova

doi:10.12691/education-5-5-15

Abstract

Science and Technology are critical for propelling Cameroon towards emergence and primary school mathematics creates a good foundation for Science and Technology. However, very little research in Cameroon has focused on assessing mathematics achievement in primary schools in order to forecast the future of Science and Technology. The study thus set out to assess the mathematic achievement of class six (final year) pupils in 18 English-speaking public, private and confessional primary schools in six divisions of the North West and South West regions of Cameroon. An achievement test which is an extract of the 2013/2014 First School Leaving Certificate Examination constituted the instrument for data collection. Thus validity and Reliability had already been established by the Ministry of Basic Education. Data were analyzed descriptively and inferentially. Results revealed that mathematics achievement is generally low and differs by school type. Implications and recommendations are discussed.

Highlights

Cameroon aims at achieving emergence by 2035 by alleviating poverty and becoming a middle income country
There is no significant difference in the level of numeracy in primary schools between the South West and the North West Regions of Cameroon
The data collected for the level of numeracy of primary schools pupils in English Speaking Cameroon was got through a test that was administered to the pupils

Summary

Introduction

Cameroon aims at achieving emergence by 2035 by alleviating poverty and becoming a middle income country. Without a solid grounding in mathematical concepts and procedures, there can be no numeracy. Mathematics is important in our everyday life, allowing us to make sense of the world around us and to manage our lives. Using mathematics enables us to model real life situations and make connections and informed predictions. It equips us with the skills we need to interpret and analyse information, simplify and solve problems, assess risk and make informed decisions. To face the challenges of the 21st century and each young person needs to have confidence in using mathematical skills [13]

Methods

Results

Conclusion