Perceptions and Attitudes of the Mass Promotion Policy Relative to Mathematics Learning at the Senior High School Level, Ghana

The study investigated the perceptions and attitudes of the mass promotion policy relative to students’ mathematics learning in senior high schools. Two research questions were used to guide the study. The researchers employed Social Cognitive Theory and the theory of self-determination to back the study. The study was linked with a pragmatist worldview that made use of a mixed methods approach. The design employed by the researchers as a convergent parallel design. A simple random sampling technique was used to sample students and teachers while a purposive sampling technique was employed in the case of heads of mathematics departments of the sampled schools. Three hundred and twenty-five (325) respondents or participants responded to questionnaires and interviews for the data collection. The methods of data analysis were descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. The findings showed that the mass promotion policy does not promote effective learning of mathematics but rather promotes indiscipline behaviors among students. Students' absenteeism, refusal to do class tasks, inattentiveness, disrespect, sleeping during lessons, and skipping classes were the attitudes put up toward mathematics learning. The researchers recommended that stakeholders, policymakers, and authorities should revise the mass promotion policy based on as per the findings revealed.