Advancing Inclusive Mathematics Education through Logic-Based Instruction: Gender Perspectives on Upper Basic Students’ Achievement in Directed Numbers in Egbeda, Oyo State

Abstract Inclusive and equitable Mathematics education is essential for sustainable development, particularly at the upper basic level were foundational concepts shape future learning pathways. Directed numbers introduce learners to integers, additive inverse relationships, and inequalities, yet persistent learning difficulties and concerns about gender disparities continue to affect students’ achievement. This study investigated the main and interaction effects of gender and a logic-based teaching strategy on upper basic students’ achievement in directed numbers in Egbeda Local Government Area, Oyo State. Two hypotheses were formulated and tested at the 0.05 level of significance. A quasi-experimental pre-test, post-test control group design was adopted. Using a multistage sampling procedure, two public junior secondary schools were selected, yielding a sample of 49 JSS II students (23 males and 26 females). Data were collected using the Integer Operations Achievement Test (IOAT) (KR-20 = 0.76) and analyzed using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). Results revealed no significant main effect of gender (F (1; 46) = 0.192, p > 0.05, partial η² = 0.004) and no significant interaction effect of gender and logic-based teaching strategy (F (3; 44) = 0.926, p > 0.05, partial η² = 0.059) on upper basic students’ achievement in directed numbers. However, descriptive results indicated that the logic-based strategy reduced observable gender performance gaps when compared with the traditional teaching approach, suggesting a more balanced learning environment for both male and female students. In contrast, the traditional strategy displayed wider gender disparities in achievement. Although the interaction effects did not reach statistical significance, the study highlights the potential of logic-based instructional approaches to promote inclusivity and equity in Mathematics learning. It concludes that fostering inclusive futures in education requires sustained exploration of learner-centered and cognitively supportive strategies capable of narrowing gender gaps and strengthening conceptual understanding in foundational Mathematics topics. It is recommended that Mathematics teachers should integrate logic-based and learner-centered strategies alongside existing methods to strengthen conceptual understanding and promote equity. Keywords: Inclusive Mathematics, Academic Achievement, Directed Numbers, Gender, Logic Based Teaching Strategy