Integrity Journal of Education and Training

The study investigated the influence of poverty on students' teaching and learning of mathematics among senior secondary two students during the economic downturn in Langtang North of Plateau State, Nigeria. A descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study was 746 Senior Secondary Two (SS2) students. A stratified sampling technique was used to randomly select 108 students (55 males and 53 females) from both private and public schools. A questionnaire titled: Influence of Poverty on Students Learning Mathematics (IPSLM) was administered to the sample. The instrument was teacher-made based on responses to questions noted in a diary. Three experts did the face and content validity. Thereafter, it was administered to 20 students who did not form the sample, and its Reliability Coefficient of 0.70 was obtained through Cronbach alpha. The data collected was analysed using mean, standard deviation, chi-square, and t-test in Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The study found that poverty significantly affects the teaching and learning of mathematics among senior secondary two students. Many students lack mathematics textbooks, they cannot eat before going to school, and they have no pocket money. Also, they do not concentrate in class, they do not do homework, and they trek long distances to school. Again, they are sent home for school fees, they lack learning materials, they do domestic work after school, they work to earn some money to pay school fees and cannot afford to pay for home lessons. Besides, it was observed that poverty surpassed the boundaries of gender, school type, and family type. It was recommended, among other things, that philanthropists should assist in sponsoring the education of the less privileged in our society, and the government should declare free education from primary school to university.