Abstract
This paper discusses the student performance in Year 13 mathematics in Sāmoa over the 14 year period from 2006 to 2019. It is based on archival data of the official results of the Pacific Secondary School Certificate (PSSC) 2006 – 2012 and the Sāmoa Secondary Leaving Certificate (SSLC) 2013 – 2019 national examinations. The analysis finds that
the assessment methodology in mathematics by where all students in all disciplines are assessed by the same topics even though some of the topics are more difficult or irrelevant to their field of studies. The paper argues that to fix the low student performance in mathematics the assessment methodology should be changed. The teaching and assessment of college mathematics especially Year 12 and Year 13 should be streamlined into major maths and basic maths rather than the general-mathematics-for-all approach. The streamlined to place good students in mathematics to take major maths while the below average students to take the basic maths. This would clearly show
the real ability and performance of students in mathematics and provide a better way to monitor and assess the students overall performance and rating in the maths national examinations.
Keywords: mathematics, trend, assessment
