Nweke Sunday Idakari¹, Ali Peter Agbom^2,

The quest to improve the teaching and learning of mathematics in our secondary school prompted this study titled, ‘Strategies for reducing Mathemaphobia in Secondary School Students’ in Ebonyi State of Nigeria’. Four hundred secondary school students were sampled for the study out of the total 122,872 students in the 222 public secondary schools in Ebonyi state of Nigeria. Two research questions were developed for the study. The research questions were also used to develop seventeen items questionnaire for the study. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The copies of questionnaire were administered to the sample students and their responses were analyzed to answer the research questions using mean and standard deviation. The results of the analyses showed that inclusion of mathematics practical in lessons and examinations, use of practical and interactive methods of teaching mathematics, and introduction of award scheme to the best performing teachers and students will reduce mathemaphobia among secondary school students in Ebonyi state. Based on the results of the study recommendations were made that those variables discovered to have hand in students’ mathemaphobia should be addressed adequately by the relevant authorities concerned.

mathematics, mathemaphobia, strategies, teaching and learning