Bitrus Glawala Amuda^1,, Domiya G. Ali², Hannatu Durkwa³

The study determined the gender difference in academic performance in SSCE economics subject among senor secondary school students from 2006 to 2010 sessions in Maiduguri Metropolis, Borno State, Nigeria. Two objectives were stated, two research questions were answered and two hypotheses were tested. Ex-post factor research design was used. The population of the study consisted of all senior secondary school students who offered economics SSS 111 in Maiduguri metropolis from 2006 to 2010 sessions and all available students who took economics subject in SSCE, WAEC and NECO from 2006 to 2010 academic sessions. A purposive sampling technique was used to select sample from twenty-eight co-education secondary schools. The total number used for the study was 50715. A total of 8699 students’ results were used for academic performance, 5679 male students and 3020 female students, results in WASSCE. While in SCCE, NECO the total results used was 9074 males results was 5491 and females was 3583 in economics for 2006 to 2010 sessions. Descriptive statistics of percentages was used to answer the research questions while t-test statistics was used to test the hypotheses. The results of the analysis revealed that male students in senior secondary schools in Maiduguri metropolis have better grades than their female counterpart in economics for 2006-2010 sessions. The results further showed that there was no significant gender difference in the academic performance of students in SSCE, WAEC and NECO in economics, while SSCE, WAEC and NECO for 2006/2007 session in economics for 2008 to 2010 sessions showed consistent significant gender difference in the academic performance of students in favour of male students. Based on the findings it was recommended that there should be public enlightenment by the government and non- governmental organisations (NGOS) to address the issue on the need for gender equality in public schools in terms of enrolment to have equal chance for female students to do well as their male counterpart in economics.