Published Paper Details:

Mathematics anxiety is a major academic concern that can affect students' confidence, participation, and performance in mathematics. The present study, titled "Exploring Mathematics Anxiety among Secondary School Students," aimed to examine the level of mathematics anxiety among secondary school students and determine whether it differs on the basis of gender. The study was conducted using a descriptive survey method. A total sample of 122 secondary school students was selected for the study, including 60 male and 62 female students. Data were collected through a Mathematics Anxiety Scale and analysed using descriptive statistics and an independent samples t-test. The overall findings indicated that students experienced a moderate level of mathematics anxiety. The mean anxiety score of male students was 88.98, while the mean score of female students was 87.60. Although male students showed a slightly higher mean score, the difference was not statistically significant, t(120) = 0.577, p = 0.565. Therefore, the study found no significant difference in mathematics anxiety between male and female secondary school students. The findings suggest that mathematics anxiety is experienced by both genders almost equally. Hence, teachers, parents, and school counsellors should adopt supportive teaching and counselling strategies for all students to reduce fear and improve confidence in mathematics learning.