Problems in Learning Mathematics: Comparison of Coral High School Students in Classes with and without Repeaters

This study considers the results of two tests and contrasts the difference in performance between two lower secondary school classes in Coral High School, Kilifi County, Kenya. It illustrates a difference in qualitative thinking between the two groups of students. The study compared the mathematical problems encountered by Coral high school students ( kilifi county), in Form 1 (with no repeaters) and Form 2 (with many repeaters) of lower secondary school. Participants consisted of 67 Form 1s and 46 Form 2s. Results from Test I and Test II indicated that the students had wide ranging difficulties in learning mathematics under the The new 2-6-3-3-3 curriculum that has replaced the 32-year-old 8-4-4 system. Form 1 females significantly outperformed their male counterparts on both tests. A significant gender difference in performance among the Form 2s was obtained only on the Test II in favor of males. Overall, Form 1s significantly performed better than the Form 2s on both tests. Scores from Form 1s on the two tests correlated negatively and insignificantly whereas scores of Form 2s on the same instruments had a positive and significant relationship. Scores of the Form 1s and Form 2s on both tests were negatively related. Performance differences and error analyses of selected challenging items are discussed to inform and guide possible remedial interventions. Findings demonstrated that mere repetition of a class was neither therapeutic nor advantageous unless factors that disable learning were identified and addressed