An Analysis of Item Difficulty and Item Discrimination of Mathematics Multiple Choice Items (2023 and 2024) in Bamboutos Division of Cameroon

Assessment is central to education, serving both to evaluate student learning outcomes and to ensure the quality of test instruments. In Cameroon, the General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level (GCE O/L) Mathematics examination is a key standardized test used to assess mathematical proficiency and determine students’ readiness for further education or employment. Despite its importance, students in Bamboutos Division have consistently underperformed in this subject. In any standardized test, performance is influenced by the interaction between a student’s ability and the difficulty of test items. Psychometric theory posits that the probability of a correct response depends on both the test-takers latent trait and the characteristics of the item. While efforts have been made to improve test quality over time, psychometric properties are still often overlooked, limiting the effectiveness of such improvements. This study analyzed the item difficulty and item discrimination indices of the 2023 and 2024 GCE O/L Mathematics multiple-choice items in Bamboutos Division of the West Region of Cameroon. A descriptive survey design was used, involving a randomly selected sample of 248 students from 17 public and private Anglophone secondary schools. A 50-item multiple-choice test, drawn from the 2023 and 2024 GCE O/L Mathematics exams, served as the research instrument. Data were analyzed using standard psychometric formulas for item difficulty and discrimination. Results indicated that many of the test items met acceptable psychometric standards in both years. These findings support the validity and reliability of the GCE O/L Mathematics examination and bolster confidence in the results. It is recommended that item analysis be routinely conducted on annual examination results to improve test development and uphold assessment standards