Assessment of the Impact of Gender and
Parents’ Education on Numeracy Skills Achievements among Basic Nine School
Students in Delta State. Nigeria
By
Patricia E. Omoyibo
Department of Guidance and Counselling Delta State
University, Abraka. Nigeria
+2348063815579
Professor P.A.U Ossai
Department of Guidance and Counselling, Delta State
University, Abraka , Nigeria
ossaipeter@delsu.edu.ng
+2348063721891
&
Professor, J.N Odili
Department of Guidance and Counselling, Delta State
University, Abraka , Nigeria
odilijohn@delsu.edu.ng
+23432550664
Abstract
This study assessed the impact of gender,
parents’ education and the acquisition of numeracy skills among basic nine school
students in Delta State. Nigeria. Two research questions and two hypotheses
guided the study. The study adopted the descriptive survey research design. The
population of the study comprised 140,959 Basic 9 students in public basic
schools in Delta State in the 2024/2025 academic session. The sample of the
study comprised 1,056 Basic 9 school students. The multi-stage sampling
procedure was adopted in the study. The instrument that was used to collect
data in this study is a numeracy Skill Tests. The test was face and content
validated by an experts in the field of Measurement and Evaluation, to establish the reliability of the
instrument, the test was administered to 100 students in Edo State. The data
were analysed using Kuder Richardson formula 20 (KR20). The coefficient
obtained is 0.69 for numeracy test Mean and standard deviation were used to
answer the research questions while independent samples t-test was used to test
the null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study
revealed that both male and female students demonstrated
comparable levels of numeracy achievement, suggesting that gender no longer
serves as a major determinant of learning outcomes at the basic education level
in the State. However, a significant difference was observed in numeracy
achievement between students from educated and non-educated parents. The study
concluded that basic school students in Delta State have generally attained
numeracy proficiency to a high extent, the study recommended that Schools should collaborate with educated parents to mentor other
parents on supporting children’s problem solving skills.
Key words: Parents Education, Gender, Achievement, Numeracy
Skills.
Introduction
The government have
invested so much funds, time and efforts in various ways to ensure adequate and
effectives numeracy skills among basic school students yet majority of basic school graduates in the
state still struggle with basic
numerical operations, such as addition (+), subtraction (-), multiplication(x)
and division (÷) after completing their basic education. This deficiency not
only limits their ability to participate effectively in higher levels of
education but also hinders their integration into the workforce and society.
The absent of these numerical
skills poses a severe threat to numeracy in the state, as these skills are
critical for breaking the cycle of poverty, reducing inequality, and fostering
economic growth. Despite government efforts to improve the quality of basic
education, the persistent gap in these essential skills raises questions about
the effectiveness of the current curriculum, teacher competence, and resource
allocation. Despite the longstanding
declaration of free basic education, many Nigerians, particularly in Delta
State, continue to struggle with poverty, illiteracy. Gender inequality.
Education empowers
individuals with the skills needed to break the cycle of poverty and reduce
inequality. By ensuring that basic school students in Delta State acquire the
skills to become productive members of society, the state addresses the root
causes of poverty. Educated individuals are more likely to secure gainful
employment, participate in entrepreneurial activities, and contribute to the
local and national economy. This creates a ripple effect that improves the
quality of life for families and communities, aligning with SDG 1 (No Poverty)
and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities). The focus on universal access to basic
education also promotes gender equality by encouraging the enrolment and
retention of both boys and girls in school. This is particularly significant in
Delta State, where cultural and economic barriers may disproportionately affect
girls' access to education. By addressing these barriers and creating an
inclusive educational environment, the state advances SDG 5 (Gender Equality)
and ensures that girls have equal opportunities to develop the skills needed to
succeed in life and contribute to sustainable development. The skills acquired
in basic education serve as a foundation for higher learning, vocational
training, and workforce participation. In Delta State, this translates into a
more skilled labour force, capable of driving economic growth and fostering
innovation.
The concept of numeracy
could be said to have originated from the report for the United Kingdom
Ministry of Education (Department for Education, 2020), and the concept of
adult numeracy has gained more popularity in developed countries such as the
United States, Australia, New Zealand, and the UK (Australian Bureau of
Statistics, 2021). Adult numeracy was initially treated as part of adult
literacy with no visible scale to measure it (Organisation for Economic
Co-operation and Development, OECD, 2022). Historically, adult literacy was
measured using a unidimensional scale, and “some five years after the British
report, although it told little about adult numeracy, it provided a landmark
framework for researching and reporting on the mathematical needs of adult
life” (Schmitt & Thompson, 2023). The report proposed a definition of
numeracy:
A longitudinal study by Lehrl et al. (2020) demonstrated that early home
support for learning and engagement in home mathematics activities are
positively associated with children's mathematical development between ages two
and six. These findings underscore the importance of early home learning environments
in preparing children for formal education.
Recent research
underscores the importance of integrating mathematical process skills into
early numeracy instruction. These higher-order thinking skills, including
problem-solving, reasoning, constructing arguments, and connecting ideas, are
essential for students to engage deeply with mathematical concepts. A study by
Clements (2010) emphasizes that children develop these skills when provided
with rich, problem-based tasks that encourage them to explain their thinking
and engage in discussions with peers. This approach aligns with the National
Council of Teachers of Mathematics' (NCTM) recommendations, highlighting the
significance of both content and process in mathematics education.
Numeracy concepts and
skills have been identified as some of the most problematic and dreaded by
learners at all educational levels in Nigeria (Adeleke, 2016). Emphasis is
consistently placed on developing children's numeracy skills for their future
and immediate needs and benefits, with the view that children can be taught
early to love and engage with mathematics in an enjoyable and accessible way
using a “catch them young” approach (Adeleke et al., 2017). The study of Egede
et al. (2020) revealed significant growth in achievement in numeracy skills,
just as in the case of literacy. This result aligns with findings from other
studies (e.g., Meiers & Raid, 2014; Pam, 2017), which suggest that learners
make progress in their numeracy skills when they are exposed to learning
experiences designed to build numeracy skills over years of study.
Awofala and Anyikwa
(2014) investigated adult learner numeracy as related to gender and performance
in arithmetic among 32 Nigerian adult learners from one government accredited
adult literacy centre in Lagos State using the quantitative research method within
the blueprint of descriptive survey design. Data collected were analysed using
the descriptive statistics of percentages, mean, and standard deviation and
inferential statistics of factor analysis, independent samples t-test, and
multiple regression analysis. Findings revealed that numeracy skill assessed by
the numeracy self-assessment scale was a multi-dimensional construct (numeracy
in everyday life, numeracy in workplace, and numeracy in mathematical tasks).
Adult learners showed average numeracy strength as gender differences in
perception of numeracy skills and performance in arithmetic among adult
learners reached zero-tolerance level. Numeracy in workplace and numeracy in
mathematical tasks made statistically significant contributions to the variance
in adult learners’ performance in arithmetic.
In line with the above, this study aims to examine the
effects of numeracy skills achievement among basic nine school
students in Delta State. Nigeria
Research
Questions
ii.
to what extent have
basic school students from educated and those from non-educated parents
acquired numeracy skills in Delta State?
Hypotheses
The following null hypotheses were
formulated to guide the study:
1.
There is no
significant difference between male and female basic school students in their achievement
of numeracy skills in Delta State
2.
There is no
significant difference between basic school students from educated and those
from non-educated parents in their acquisition of numeracy skills in Delta
State
Methods
The
study adopted the descriptive survey research design. The population of the
study comprised 140,959 Basic 9 students in public basic schools in Delta State
in the 2024/2025 academic session. The sample of the study comprised 1,056
Basic 9 school students. The multi-stage sampling procedure was adopted in the
study. First stage, the researcher used simple random sampling technique to
sampled one school in each Local Government Area of the state to make a total
of 25 schools, Secondly, the researcher adopted a proportionate stratified
sampling technique.by first determined the percentage of the sample size of
1,056 relative to the overall population of 140,959 students, which stood at
0.749%. Hence, for every Local Government Area, a percentage of 0.749 of the
total population of students in that Local Government Area were selected. In
the third stage, the researcher selected the students using stratified random
sampling technique. The instrument that was used to collect data in this study
is a numeracy Skill Tests. The test contains two sections. Section A: deals
with the Demographic Data of the students such as sex and location. Section B:
contains numeracy Skill Test. Test were adopted from a standardized test of
Delta State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education Examination for Basic 9.
The tests contain 25 items each structured in a multiple-choice question, with
5 options (A-E), 1 correct answer and 4 distracters. In order to establish the
reliability of the instrument, the test was administered to 100 students in
Bayelsa State. The data were analysed using Kuder
Richardson formula 20 (KR20). The coefficient obtained is 0.72. The
test was administered directly to the respondents by the researcher. Prior to
the test administration, the researcher went to the various schools used in the
study. The completed responses were collected on the spot to avoid loss of
data. The data obtained were analysed with descriptive and inferential
statistics. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research
questions while independent samples t-test was used to test the null hypotheses
at 0.05 level of significance.
Results
Research Question 1: to
what extent have male and female basic school students achieve numeracy skills
in Delta State.?
Table 1: Mean analysis of the extent to
which male and female basic school students have achieved numeracy
skills in Delta State.
|
Gender |
N |
Mean |
SD |
|
Male |
481 |
13.67 |
5.45 |
|
Female |
575 |
13.49 |
5.33 |
|
Overall Mean |
1,056 |
13.58 |
5.39 |
Table
1. Shows the mean analysis of the
extent to which male and female basic school students have achieved numeracy
skills in Delta State. The result shows that male students (N =481) obtained a
mean score of 13.67 with a standard deviation of 5.45, while female students (N
=575) recorded a mean score of 13.49 with a standard deviation of 5.33. The
overall mean score for all the students combined was 13.58 with a standard deviation of 5.39. These results
indicate that both male and female students performed almost equally in
numeracy skills, as the mean difference between the two groups (0.18) is
negligible. This suggests that the extent to which male and female basic school
students have achieved numeracy skills in Delta State is approximately the
same.
Research Question 2:
to what extent have basic school students from educated and those from
non-educated parents acquired numeracy skills in Delta State?
Table 2: Mean analysis of the extent to which basic
school students from educated and those from non-educated parents acquired
numeracy skills in Delta State.
|
Educational Level |
n
|
Mean |
SD |
|
Educated
Parent |
563 |
14.26 |
5.44 |
|
Non- educated Parents |
493 |
12.96 |
5.24 |
|
Overall Mean |
1,056 |
13.61 |
5.34
|
Table 2 shows the mean analysis of the extent to which
basic school students from educated parents and those from non- educated
parents have acquired numeracy skills in Delta State. The result shows that
educated parents (N =563) obtained a mean score of 14.26 with a standard
deviation of 5.44, while non- educated Parents (N =493) recorded a mean score
of 12.96 and standard deviation of 5.24. The overall mean score for all the
students combined was 13.61 with a standard deviation of 5.34. These results
implies that both basic school students from educated parents and those from
non- educated parents performed independently different in numeracy skills, as
the mean difference between the two groups (1.48). This indicates that, the
extent
to which basic school students from educated parents and those from non-
educated parents acquired numeracy skills in Delta State to a high extent.
Hypothesis 1: There
is no significant difference between male and female basic school students in
their achievement of numeracy skills in Delta State.
Table 3: t-test analysis of
the difference between male and female basic school students in their
achievement of numeracy skills in Delta State
|
Gender |
n |
Mean |
SD |
df |
t-value |
p-value |
Remark |
|
Male |
481 |
13.67 |
5.44 |
1,054 |
0.531 |
0.596 |
Not
Significant |
|
Female |
575 |
13.49 |
5.33 |
||||
|
α = 0.05 |
|||||||
Table 3 shows an independent samples t-test, which was
used to compare the difference between male and female basic school students in
their achievement of numeracy skills in Delta State. The results reveal that
male students had a mean score of 13.67 with a standard deviation of 5.44,
while their female counterparts had a mean score of 13.49 with a standard
deviation of 5.33. The calculated t-value of 0.531 with a corresponding p-value
of 0.596 is greater than the alpha level of 0.05. This implies that there is no
statistically significant difference between male and female basic school
students in their achievement of numeracy skills in Delta State. Therefore, the
null hypothesis is retained.
Hypothesis 2: There
is no significant difference between basic school students from educated and
those from non-educated parents in their acquisition of numeracy skills in
Delta State
Table 4: t-test analysis of
the difference between basic school students from educated and those from
non-educated parents in their acquisition of numeracy skills in Delta State
|
Educational
level |
N |
Mean |
SD |
Df |
t-value |
p-value |
Remark |
|
|
Educated
Parents |
563 |
14.26 |
5.44 |
1,054 |
3.96 |
0.000 |
Significant |
|
|
Non-Educated
Parents |
493 |
12.96 |
5.24 |
|||||
|
α = 0.05 |
|
|||||||
Table 4 shows an
independent samples t-test, which was used to compare the difference between
basic school students from educated and those from non-educated parents in
their acquisition of numeracy skills in Delta State. The results reveal that
students from educated parents had a mean score of 14.26 with a standard
deviation of 5.44, while those from non-educated parents had a mean score of
12.96 with a standard deviation of 5.24. p-value of 0.000 is less than the
alpha level of 0.05. This implies that there is a significant difference
between basic school students from educated and those from non-educated parents
in their acquisition of numeracy skills in Delta State. Therefore, the null
hypothesis is rejected.
Discussion
The first findings showed
the extent to which male and female basic school students have acquired
numeracy skills in Delta State is approximately the same. A corresponding
hypothesis revealed that there is no statistically significant difference
between male and female basic school students in their acquisition of numeracy
skills in Delta State. This finding suggests that both genders possess
comparable levels of numeracy skills. This implies that access to numeracy
learning opportunities, quality of instruction, and exposure to mathematical
content are likely balanced across male and female students in the State. The
finding reflects a trend toward gender parity in foundational education
outcomes, which could be attributed to policy efforts promoting equal access to
education and reducing gender biases in classroom participation and teacher
expectations. It also indicates that numeracy skill acquisition is more
influenced by environmental and pedagogical factors than by gender-based
cognitive differences.
The finding agrees with
Ogunlade and Adebayo (2021), who found no significant gender difference in
mathematics achievement among primary school pupils in south-western Nigeria,
emphasizing that both boys and girls can perform equally well when given similar
learning environments. The finding also aligns with Okafor and Eze (2022), who
observed that the provision of gender-sensitive teaching methods and inclusive
classroom practices has reduced disparities in numeracy outcomes among
learners. The finding is also consistent with UNESCO’s (2023) report which
revealed a narrowing gender gap in basic mathematics proficiency across
sub-Saharan Africa, including Nigeria, as a result of sustained efforts toward
educational equity. The finding is however, at variance with Adedeji (2019),
who noted slight male advantages in numeracy, attributing them to sociocultural
expectations and stereotype threats; however, recent trends show that such
differences are diminishing due to changing attitudes and improved instructional
practices.
Another finding
showed that the extent to which basic school students from educated parents and
those from non- educated parents acquired numeracy skills in Delta State to a
high extent. A corresponding hypothesis revealed that there is a significant
difference between basic school students from educated and those from
non-educated parents in their acquisition of numeracy skills in Delta State.
Basic school students from educated parents appears to possess higher numeracy
skills than their counterparts from non-educated parents. This finding suggests
that the educational background of parents plays a crucial role in shaping
children’s numeracy skills. This implies that students whose parents are
educated tend to demonstrate stronger numerical reasoning, problem-solving
abilities, and mathematical confidence compared to those from non-educated
homes. Educated parents are generally more capable of supporting their
children’s academic growth through direct assistance with homework, providing
learning materials, and creating an environment that promotes curiosity and
critical thinking. On the other hand, children of non-educated parents may lack
access to such support structures, leading to lower engagement and weaker
foundational numeracy skills.
This finding aligns with
Ogunleye and Okafor (2021), who found that pupils whose parents possess higher
educational qualifications perform better in mathematics because their parents
provide guidance and foster positive attitudes toward learning. The finding
also agrees with Adekunle and Bello (2022), who reported that children from
educated families tend to have greater exposure to mathematical concepts in
everyday life, such as counting money, measuring household items, and using
technology that reinforces numerical reasoning. The finding also confirms with
report of UNESCO (2023), which noted that parental education significantly
contributes to children’s cognitive development, particularly in literacy and
numeracy, by shaping the home learning environment and expectations. The
finding, however, contrasts with Eze and Mohammed (2020), who argued that while
parental education contributes to numeracy acquisition, the quality of
teaching, availability of instructional materials, and classroom environment also
play substantial roles.
Conclusion
Considering the
findings of this study, it was concluded that basic nine school students in
Delta State achieved numeracy skills to a high extent, irrespective of their
sex. Gender appears to no longer serve as a major determinant of learning
outcomes among basic school students in Delta State. Parental education
however, appears to play a critical role in enhancing children’s learning
outcomes, as educated parents are more likely to support their children’s
academic progress through effective guidance, provision of learning materials,
and a stimulating home environment.
Recommendations
Based on the findings of the study, the
following recommendations were made:
i
Regular
mathematics workshops and training should be organized for teachers to enhance
effective numeracy instruction and classroom innovation.
ii
Teachers
should provide extra numeracy support and offer school tutorials for students
from non-educated homes to bridge learning gaps.
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