Secondary school students’ attitudes toward problem-based learning in mathematics in the benadir region of Somalia

This study investigates secondary school students’ attitudes toward Problem-Based Learning (PBL) in mathematics and examines how affective and motivational factors are associated with self-reported mathematics achievement in the Benadir region of Somalia. Grounded in constructivist learning theory, Self-Determination Theory, and Expectancy–Value Theory, the study explores the relationships among Enjoyment in Mathematics, Mathematics Motivation, Value of Mathematics, Attitude Toward Problem-Based Learning (ATPBL), and self-reported mathematics achievement. Despite growing interest in student-centered pedagogies, limited empirical evidence exists on how these affective and motivational factors interact through attitudes toward PBL in post-conflict educational contexts such as Somalia. A quantitative cross-sectional design was employed, using data collected from 357 secondary school students selected through purposive sampling from five public and private schools. Data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), and bootstrapping with 5,000 resamples was applied to assess the significance of the relationships. The results indicate that ATPBL is significantly associated with self-reported mathematics achievement. Enjoyment in mathematics is significantly associated with ATPBL but does not show a significant direct association with achievement, while mathematics motivation shows strong positive associations with both ATPBL and achievement. The value of mathematics is significantly associated with achievement but does not show a significant relationship with attitudes toward PBL. Further analysis indicates that ATPBL demonstrates significant indirect associations linking enjoyment and motivation with achievement, whereas no significant indirect association is observed for value. These findings underscore the central role of students’ attitudes toward PBL in the association between affective and motivational factors and self-reported mathematics achievement. The study contributes empirical evidence from a post-conflict educational context and highlights the importance of fostering positive instructional attitudes alongside student motivation to support self-reported mathematics achievement. However, due to the cross-sectional design and reliance on self-reported data, the findings should be interpreted as associations rather than causal relationships. The results offer practical implications for curriculum reform, teacher professional development, and the promotion of student-centered pedagogies in secondary mathematics education.