6 Reasons Why Candidates Fail Mathematics WAEC 2012

Just like English language, mathematics is pivotal to every student’s success and its omission from the result deformed the result, it is therefore germane to expose reasons why candidates fail Mathematics WAEC 2012 as unveiled by the Council (WAEC). The article is tripartite, it has weaknesses, suggested remedies and candidates’ strength.

Candidates’ Weakness

One of the weaknesses observed by the Chief Examiner was, candidates’:

1. inability to interpret word problems and draw required diagrams correctly.
2. Inability to attempt question on geometrical construction.

Other areas where candidates did not perform very well were:

3. Drawing and reading from graphs
4. Writing answers to the required degree of accuracy
5. Inability to manipulate fractions
6. Candidates were also encouraged to answer each question on a separate page of the answer booklet.

Suggested Remedies

The following remedies were suggested by the Chief Examiner:

1. Teachers were encouraged to expose candidates to the application of mathematical concepts to solving problems in their everyday life situations
2. Teachers as well as candidates were encouraged to cover the syllabus while preparing for the examination
3. Qualified teachers should be engaged to teach the subject
4. Teachers were encouraged to use instructional materials during lesson so as to re-enforce the learning of mathematical concepts
5. Candidates were encouraged to adhere to the rubrics of the question especially with regards to the degree of accuracy
6. 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
7. Teachers were encouraged to put in more effort at leading the candidates to solving word problems leading to simple algebraic equations

Candidates’ Strength

The Chief Examiner commended candidates’ performance in the following

1. Simplification of fractions
2. Simplification of surds
3. Calculation of the mean and standard deviation of grouped data
4. Mensuration – area of a segment to a circle.