Main Article Content
Gender Differences and Mathematics Achievement of Rural Senior Secondary Students in Cross River State, Nigeria
Abstract
To contribute to the realization of the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) by the United Nations on the promotion of gender equity, the researchers sought to empirically verify the existence or otherwise of gender inequality in the mathematics achievement of rural male and female students in Cross River State, Nigeria; and whether or not parental socioeconomic
status and school proprietorship, taken independently, are significant factors in the achievement of the students. By stratified and simple random sampling, 2000 students (50% males, 50% female) were selected and a 30-item four-option multiple choice mathematics achievement test (MAT) was constructed (KR20 of 0.87 and item difficulty, 0.40 < p < 0.82) and administered. The independent t-test revealed significant gender
inequalities in the entire sample indicating that the males outperformed their female counterparts. Gender inequalities were also observed among the low socio economic students and within public schools. Educational implications were also highlighted.
status and school proprietorship, taken independently, are significant factors in the achievement of the students. By stratified and simple random sampling, 2000 students (50% males, 50% female) were selected and a 30-item four-option multiple choice mathematics achievement test (MAT) was constructed (KR20 of 0.87 and item difficulty, 0.40 < p < 0.82) and administered. The independent t-test revealed significant gender
inequalities in the entire sample indicating that the males outperformed their female counterparts. Gender inequalities were also observed among the low socio economic students and within public schools. Educational implications were also highlighted.
