CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION

                        Overview

This chapter chronologically presents the background, problem statement, purpose, objectives, research questions, assumptions, significance, delimitation, limitation, theoretical framework, conceptual framework, and operational definition of terms. Therefore, the chapter builds on the study.

                        Background to the Study

The main objective of teaching Mathematics at all levels is to enable the learner develop clear and logical thinking needed for analysis of both academic and everyday life situation (Scopes, 1973) .Thus Mathematics aids in understanding other subjects, especially sciences subjects.Mathematics is necessary for the development of scientific, technical, monetary and commercial activities around the life of an indivdual and the community (Ayot& Patel, 1992).

Education is an element in stimulation of social economic development as advanced by several government policy documents and various scholars (Selina 2012). According to Todaro (2004) a country which is unable to invest in education to develop knowledge and skills of her people and utilize them effectively in national economy will be unable to develop anything else. Hallack (1990) states that education has been identified Worldwide as an important component that determines character and social economic development of any nation.

Developed countries like USA and Japan have a large pool of highly skilled human resources. This has enabled them to not only exploit local natural resources but also to identify and negotiate for other countries resources. Education is fundamental ingredient for creating economic development. In the United States it has been more important than increased capital in accounting for worker productivity and US economic growth (Smith, 2003).

The performance of education is evaluated based on examinations given and attainments of students in such examinations. Examinations have been accepted by educationists and other stakeholders as an important aspect of any education system (Musau, 2015). The importance placed on examination has seen stakeholders come up with strategies aimed at improving learner‟s performance in examinations (Juma, 2011).

Eze, Ezenwafor and Molokwu(2015)noted that to facilitate the process of knowledge transmission, teachers should apply appropriate teaching methods that best suit specific objectives and level exit outcomes. In the traditional epoch, many teaching practitioners widely applied teaching methods to impart knowledge to learners comparative. Adunola (2011) also maintained that teachers need to be conversant with numerous teaching strategies that take recognition of the magnitude of complexity of the concepts to be covered.

Secondary school Mathematics in Kenya is designed to help students in working out  solutions to problems with accuracy, precision and speed both academic and functional life situation. According to Kinyua, Maina&Odera (2003), Mathematics helps the students to improve their skills in measurement, approximation and estimating. Such skills are necessary for any quest be it academic or business. It also aids students in collecting, representing and interpreting data, which they can manipulate and add meaning to Mathematics, therefore

helps the learner to develop investigative and problem solving skills, thus enabling them to understand better and manage their personal and collective life (Costello, 1991).Despite the importance of Mathematics in daily  life, the  student‟s achievement  in Mathematics is very low. Un-attainment of the objectives set for Mathematics is a global issue. Several countries question the Mathematics low attainment of the students in school.

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