Achievement is used as one of the important indices upon which most decisions about the learner is based and it is a complex and multivariate issue with a plethora of evidence associated with determinants of student achievement disparities. The objective of the study was to investigate the influence of gender differences on achievement disparities in Chemistry at the Advanced Level GCE examination in the English Speaking sub system of education in Cameroon. This study adopts a qualitative case study design and makes use of the concurrent procedures of an inquiry strategy of multiple case study research in which the researcher uses a triangulation method of analyzing the GCE results and engaging in an interview with passed Chemistry candidates and Chemistry teachers. The population comprised of 55,786 candidates who wrote the GCE in A/L Chemistry in the English Speaking sub system of education in all the regions of the Republic of Cameroon from 2012 – 2016. The sample of the study consisted of 42,766 candidates who wrote Advanced Level Chemistry from 2012-2016 in five of the ten regions in Cameroon purposefully selected from all coeducational institutions for content analysis of their GCE results and also twenty students and eight teachers purposively selected for interviews. A non- probability design of convenience sampling and purposive sampling technique was used. The instruments for data collection for the study was a self-made Document Analysis Form (DAF), and an interview guide. At the end of data collection, the statistical analysis technique used to test the hypothesis was the independent t-test while the perceptions and opinions of the students and teachers interviewed were analysed thematically in terms of percentages. One research question and one hypothesis guided the study. The research question was answered using mean and percentages while the formulated hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance using the student t-test statistics. The analyses showed that Gender was strongly associated with Chemistry achievement and mean difference was significant (P= <0.05) with male having a mean of 82.046 higher than of the female (40.1230. Based on these findings, it is recommended that Chemistry and Mathematics teachers should team up to ensure integrative learning, transfer and application of knowledge among the females by giving them more attention/time during classes, use of teaching strategies which the female perceive as attainable and compatible with their abilities, preferences, and goals.
Gender differences, Achievement, Advanced level Chemistry GCE
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