Remedial Practices and Students’ Competences in Mathematics in Public Secondary Schools in Rwanda: A case of Kamonyi District

Abstract

The research investigates the effect of remedial practices on students’ competencies in mathematics subjects in Rwanda, in Kamonyi district. Specifically, the research identified remedial practices from public secondary schools that affect students’ competencies in mathematics in Kamonyi district, Rwanda, and analyzed the students' performance in mathematics that is due to remedial practices in secondary schools in Kamonyi district and determined the relationship between remedial practices and students’ competencies in mathematics in Kamonyi district, Rwanda. The population in this study consisted of 5331 respondents, while their sample size was 370. To triangulate the data, primary sources were acquired utilizing questionnaires, interviews, and observation methods. To generate a sample population from the respondents, this study employed purposive, stratified, and simple random sampling methods. In data gathering and analysis, the study used both quantitative and qualitative methodologies in tandem. Content analysis aided qualitative data analysis, while quantitative data was presented using descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (correlational and regression analysis) in IBM SPSS Version 21.0. For the first objective, results indicate that 100.0% of respondents either strongly agreed or agreed that changing teaching methods frequently, 90.0% of respondents either strongly agreed or agreed that using individualized learning materials helps in remedial practices in mathematics, 90.0% of respondents either strongly agreed or agreed that incorporating visual and audio resources, and 80.0% either strongly agreed or agreed that creating original worksheets and exercises as remedial practices in mathematics. For the second objective, 60.0% of respondents 100% either strongly agreed or agreed that the student’s problem-solving ability, 80.0% of respondents either strongly agreed or agreed that the student’s ability to reason, 90.0% of respondents either strongly agreed or agreed that the ability to apply methods by students demonstrates, and 80.0% of respondents either strongly agreed or agreed that the capacity for representing mathematical structures indicates the student's competencies in mathematics. The study found a strong relationship between creating lessons that consider students' interests, needs, and experiences and their problem-solving abilities, procedure application abilities, and capacity for representation. It also found a positive relationship between the use of individualized learning materials and problem-solving abilities, procedure application abilities, and capacity for representation. The results suggest that adjusting these factors can enhance problem-solving, procedure application, and representation capacity. These findings suggest that they are correlated since most of their levels of significance were greater than 0.05 in association with students’ competencies in mathematics subjects in Rwanda, in Kamonyi district. It is recommended that Rwandan Education Board and school: REB, as well as the school level, are recommended schools to use remedial activities, and the school level applies this program to facilitate learners to increase their achievement and encourage their learning. To teachers of mathematics: Teachers should always make sure that students feel comfortable with the method they are using in teaching mathematics to facilitate learners to solve daily problems. Teachers should mobilize their students and teachers to attend remedial activities. Teachers give more exercises, practical activities, and homework. Teachers encourage students to learn and like mathematics subjects as an important subject in daily life.