Academic Anxiety as Predictor of Students’ Academic Achievement in Mathematics in Public Secondary Schools in Anambra State

The study investigated academic anxiety as a predictor of students' academic achievement in Mathematics in public secondary schools in Anambra State. One research questions and one null hypotheses tested at 0.05 level of significance guided the study. The study adopted a correlational research design. The population of the study consisted of 19,048 SS2 students from 267 public secondary schools in Anambra State. Two instruments were used for data collection: the Academic Anxiety Scale (AAS) and Mathematics Achievement Scale (MAS). The instruments were subjected to face and construct validation. The reliability of the instrument were established Using kuda Richardson formula 20 (K-R20) for Mathematics Achievement Scale (MAS) and Cronbach is Alpha (α) academic Anxiety Scale (AAS) with coefficient values of .771 and .821 respectively. The data were collected by the research assistance who were briefed on how to administer and retrieve copies of the instrument. The completed copies of the questionnaire were collected on the spot. Data collected were analyzed using simple regression. Findings of the study revealed that academic anxiety significantly predicts students' academic achievement in mathematics. It was recommended that schools employ qualified counselors and psychologists who can provide regular counseling sessions to students, especially those identified as having high levels of academic anxiety. This study makes a significant contribution to the understanding of how anxiety impacts students’ achievements in mathematics, revealing that anxiety is a critical factor influencing academic achievement. It was also recommended that the educational policymakers in Anambra State develop policies that address academic anxiety as a critical factor in student achievement.