Values and valuing pedagogies in the Ghanaian mathematics curricula

The explicit and implicit teaching of values in mathematics education has been explored across many education systems. Currently, researchers and significant education stakeholders argue for the explicit teaching of values in mathematics education. Following this global trend, the current Ghanaian pre-tertiary mathematics curricula emphasize the explicit development of values, unlike previous ones. Therefore, this paper investigates how values are portrayed in mathematics curricula and the valuing pedagogies that account for the portrayal of the identified values. The study utilized qualitative content analysis to identify values and valuing pedagogies in the lower primary, upper primary, and junior high school (JHS) curricula. The analysis revealed varying degrees of portrayal of six explicit values—commitment to achieving excellence, diversity, equity, teamwork/collaboration, truth and integrity, and respect—and three inherent values—problem-solving, innovation, and relevance. Additionally, the curricula strongly prioritize the affective aspect (51.6%) of valuing pedagogies, the cognitive aspect (36.7%), and the social aspect accounting for 11.7% of total valuing references. The study recommends that while the Ghanaian lower primary, upper primary, and JHS mathematics curricula have made strides in integrating key values, there is a need for more attention to the underrepresented values.