Causes of Mathematics Phobia Among Secondary School Students: Implications on Performance and Retention in Borno State, Nigeria

The study seeks to find the causes of mathematics phobia among secondary school students implications on performance and retention in Borno State, Nigeria. Four null hypotheses were formulated and tested using Pearson product moment correlation coefficient and ratio test at 0.05 significant level. A total of 600 students from eight secondary schools in Borno State were used for this study. The result of the study reveals that there is a significant relationship between students' teachers' school type, parents' attitude to teaching and learning of mathematics, and students fear of mathematics so adequate counselling, mathematics phobia among the students could be reduced. The implication for this study is that mathematics phobia exists among secondary school students. Therefore, student themselves, teachers and parents should strive to see that fear of mathematics is totally wiped out, and to improve student performance in secondary schools. The study recommends, among others that, the mathematics teachers/ counsellors posted to the schools should be allowed to work in accordance with the professional ethics and encourage students not to feared mathematics.