Factors Affecting Key Stage 3 Students’ Attitudes towards Mathematics in Fuvahmulah City, Maldives

Mathematics can foster students’ capacity in reasoning and nurturing their critical thinking abilities. In turn, attitude emerges as a pivotal factor influencing students’ mathematical performance. The National Assessment of Learning Outcomes (NALO) has revealed a concerning decline in mathematics proficiency among Grade 7 students within this atoll over successive years. Scholarly investigations have underscored the significance of a positive attitude towards the subject in augmenting learning outcomes. Guided by the ABC model of attitude, this study sought to discern the factors shaping students’ perspectives towards mathematics, the specific challenges hindering them from realising their full potential, and the proposed reforms in pedagogical and environmental dimensions to enhance mathematical proficiency. Employing purposive sampling, a qualitative case-study approach, and semi-structured interviews, data was collected from eight students in Key Stage 3. The findings indicate that students’ outlook on the subject is influenced by a confluence of positive and negative emotions. Factors such as teachers’ attitude, pedagogical methodologies, insufficient parental support, and deficiencies in foundational mathematical understanding during primary schooling emerged as prominent impediments to students’ mathematical achievement. Additionally, students expressed a desire for a conducive and differentiated learning milieu to bolster their grasp of mathematical concepts.