For smart students, mathematics shouldn’t be taken with levity most especially, for science and commercial students, it is necessary to create ample time for it when studying, lack of quality studying time and students’ displeasure are the main reasons for poor performance in the subject. The information will address reasons why candidates fail Mathematics WAEC 2013 as released by the chief examiner’s
Candidates’ Weakness
The Chief Examiner observed that the areas where candidates did not perform very well were:
- Reading and answering problems from graphs
- Writing answers to the required degree of accuracy
- Geometry and its applications
- Mensuration
- Interpretation/solution to word problems
- Drawing required diagrams correctly
- Premature approximation and omission of essential details
Suggested Remedies
The following remedies were suggested by the Chief Examiner:
- Teachers were encouraged to expose candidates to the application of mathematical concepts to solving problems in their everyday life situations
- Teachers as well as candidates were encouraged to cover all the topics in the syllabus while preparing for the examination
- Qualified teachers should be engaged to teach the subject
- Teachers were encouraged to use instructional materials during lesson so as to reinforce the learning of mathematical concepts
- Candidates were encouraged to adhere to the rubrics of the question especially with regards to the degree of accuracy
- WAEC was encouraged to set questions in these weak areas more regularly in order to encourage teachers and candidates to put in more effort in learning them
- Teachers were encouraged to put in more effort at leading the candidates to solving word problems leading to simple algebraic equations
- Candidates were encouraged to answer each question on a separate page of the answer booklet
- Candidates were encouraged to draw diagrams as this would help them in solving problems better
- Teachers should be encouraged to participate in the WASSCE Coordination exercise as well as other training and refresher courses.
Candidates’ Strength
The Chief Examiner commended candidates’ performance in the following areas:
- Simplification of fractions
- Solution to simple linear inequalities
- Completion of the cumulative frequency table and drawing of the Ogive
- Calculation of arithmetic mean
