Original Research Paper 2 Okoi A. Okoi ¹ , Lydia I. Eleje 1 MEd, Evening Programme Directorate, Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Owerri Nigeria. 2 MEd, Department of Educational Foundations, Faculty of Education, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka Nigeria. PANIC ANXIETY AND PRIOR-MATHEMATICS ACHIEVEMENTS AS CORRELATES AMONG JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL CERTIFICATE MATHEMATICS PERFORMANCES ABSTRACT This study determined the correlates of panic anxiety and prior-mathematics achievements among junior secondary school certificate examination (JSSCE) in Nigeria. Two research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. Expo-facto research design was adopted for the study. The sample consisted of 630 students from a population of 6405 students. Test anxiety questionnaire (TAQ) that assessed students' grades obtained from the JSSCE in Mathematics and students grades obtained from their prior-mathematics achievement (Mock exams) were the instruments used for the study. The data collected were analyzed using Pearson product moment correlation. Result of the study revealed that panic anxiety and prior mathematics achievement had a relative influence on student's achievement in the examination. It was recommended that students should be exposed to anxiety reduction activities and that the JSSCE should be school-based so that individual schools can handle it using teachers which the students are already aquatinted with. KEYWORDS: Panic anxiety, Prior-mathematics achievements (Mock), Correlation, Junior secondary school certificate examination (JSSCE). INTRODUCTION: Education is the most important tool that offers inner and outer strength to a per- son and the society at large. The National Policy on Education (Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2013) through the national educational goals expressed that the acquisition of appropriate knowledge, skills, competencies, development of mental, physical and social abilities equip individuals to live in and contribute meaningfully to the development of the society. Alade (2004), observed that the primary concern of education is the elevation of human conditions. In the same vein, Oderinde (2005), opined that all over the world, education is the key to development which clearly demonstrated that education play vital roles in the development of the individual, society and the nation as a whole. The develop- ment of any society, which is linked on educational progress cannot be achieved without due attention on science and technology. Basic discipline in the sciences must reasonably be encouraged in giving attention to Mathematics which is the bedrock of all sciences. The objectives of teaching mathematics in secondary schools make it very important as a foundation subject for success in further academic endeavour and manpower development. In view of this, the learning of mathematics in schools, as observed by Odili (2006) represents first, a basic preparation for adult life and secondly a gateway to a vast array of career choices. In this respect, Iji (2007) maintained that any country that aspires for national growth in science, indus- tries, and technology must not neglect mathematics. This is in view of the multi- dimensional values of mathematics in virtually all facets of human development and experience. Thomaskutty and George (2007) accentuated the versatile nature of mathematics by identifying seven educational values of mathematics which include: Practical or Utilitarian values, Disciplinary values, Cultural val- ues, Social values, Moral values, Aesthetic values and Recreational values. Roles of mathematics according to Oderinde (2005) in physical and agricultural sciences, engineering, aircraft, computer, textile, warfare, industries and weather forecasting are numerous. In Africa, the current performance of student in mathematics is poor (Aduda, 2003). The situation has been posing serious problem for the students in the Senior Secondary classes partly as a result of the carry over effects of the nega- tive attitudes which they have towards Mathematics in Junior Secondary classes and ineffectiveness on the part of the teachers (Okiru & Orum, 2013; Adu, Ojelabi & Hammed, 2009). The observed rates of student's performance in May/June WASSCE general mathematics in Nigeria (Nasarawa State) from 2004-2013 as indicated in Table 1 tend to support this claim. Table 1: Performance Rates by Credit (A1- C6), Pass (D7 – E8), Fail (F9), and Unreleased Results (2004-2013). Table 2: KCSE Performance in Mathematics Table 2 demonstrate Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) perfor- mance in mathematics. The figures in these tables show that students' achievement in the subject (Math- ematics) is poor; this should be a concern to policy makers, administrators, prin- cipals, teachers, parents and students themselves. The current performance of stu- dent in mathematics has posed very serious concern to the society at large, espe- cially when considered against the resources spent each year in training students and the roles of mathematics in science and technology (Aduda, 2003; Okoi, 2015). Teachers and educational planners in the subject have exhausted avail- able strategies including the improvement of teaching methods, making the sub- ject compulsory and organizing retraining programs without recording signifi- cant improvement. Studies exists that show test anxiety and prior-mathematics as possible corre- lates among students academic performance. Ben (2011), in a study, to deter- mine the influence of students' personality characteristics on their academics per- formance in agricultural sciences in secondary school in Uyo Municipality con- cluded that anxiety influence academic performance of students. This finding meant that higher anxiety scores brought about low academic performance, while low anxiety scores were responsible for high academic performance. In a similar study but earlier studies Sharif and Armitage (2004) and Marakinyo (2006) it was equally discovered that test anxiety influenced students' CGPA. Other studies supporting panic anxiety as an inverse correlates of academic per- formance are of those Olaitan (2012), Muhammad and Naem (2013) and Okoi (2015). Okiru and Orum (2013), investigated on junior secondary school certificate examination results as predictors of students' performance in Mathematics at the senior secondary school certificate Examinations in Benue State of Nigeria and found that a positive significant relationship existed between the overall perfor- mance of students at the JSS level and their overall performance at the SS level. Adeyemi (2006) found junior secondary school certificate examination results as a good predictor of performance at the senior secondary certificate examina- tions. Studies by Ubi (2009), Okoi (2015) and Muhammad, Riffa and Rashida (2011) reveal positive correlation between prior-Mathematics achievement and Copyright© 2018, IEASRJ. This open-access article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License which permits Share (copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format) and Adapt (remix, transform, and build upon the material) under the Attribution-NonCommercial terms. 11 International Educational Applied Scientific Research Journal (IEASRJ) Education Volume : 3 ¦ Issue : 3 ¦ Mar 2018 ¦ e-ISSN : 2456-5040 Year Credit (%) Fail (%) Pass (%) Unreleased (%) 2004 15.55 39.91 31.18 13.36 2005 18.50 37.99 41.29 2.23 2006 24.42 14.74 53.47 7.36 2007 41.62 7.87 36.88 13.63 2008 40.30 15.53 32.37 11.53 Year Credit (%) Fail (%) Pass (%) Unreleased (%) 2009 41.86 23.62 30.50 4.02 2010 30.27 24.23 41.79 3.71 2011 26.96 22.79 44.02 6.23 2012 38.54 14.97 40.69 5.80 2013 41.39 13.14 38.68 6.79 Year 9991 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Mean Score 12.23 16.61 18.72 13.23 18.25 16.24 17.62 12.24 16.26 18.73