Influence of Peer Tutoring on Academic Achievement in Mathematics Among Secondary Students in Imo State

This study examines the influence of peer tutoring on academic achievement in mathematics among secondary school students in Imo State, South East Nigeria. Peer tutoring, in which students with stronger academic skills support their peers under teacher supervision, has demonstrated positive outcomes in diverse educational contexts, though its application in Nigerian secondary school mathematics classrooms requires contextual validation. The study employs a quasi-experimental pre-test post-test design, involving 180 SS1 Mathematics students from four secondary schools in Owerri North and Okigwe Local Government Areas. Students in the experimental group participated in structured peer tutoring sessions twice weekly for six weeks, while the control group received standard classroom instruction only. Mathematics achievement tests were administered before and after the intervention. Data were analysed using analysis of covariance and independent samples t-tests. Results show that students in the peer tutoring group achieved significantly higher post-test scores than the control group. Notably, both tutors and tutees demonstrated gains, suggesting mutual cognitive benefit from the process of teaching and receiving instruction from peers. Qualitative feedback indicated that students felt more comfortable asking questions during peer tutoring than in whole-class settings. These findings support the use of structured peer tutoring as a cost-effective intervention for improving mathematics performance in resource-constrained secondary schools. The Imo State Ministry of Education is advised to formalise peer tutoring as part of school improvement initiatives. Keywords: peer tutoring, academic achievement, mathematics, secondary school, Imo State.