investigate the factors that may cause it, mathematics anxiety, and its effects on the academic achievement of the first year secondary school students. The sample of the study consisted of 250 students, 125 males and 125 females from the first secondary classes, which were randomly selected from governmental secondary school in salalah. The instruments of the study included a mathematics anxiety scale (MARS), and a questionnaire of mathematics learning obstacles. One-way analysis of variance (One-way ANOVA) was used to test the effect of mathematics anxiety on academic achievement.
t-test was used to determine sex differences in mathematics anxiety. The results of the study showed that there is a significant difference in academic achievement that is attributed to the level of mathematics anxiety. The results of the study also revealed that there is a significant difference in mathematics anxiety level between males and females, where males had a higher level of anxiety than females. The results also indicated that the negative factors that affect the learning of mathematics as perceived by the students are: relating to teacher, curriculum book, and the student, in that order. The study recommended the provision of remedial and counseling programs for students with high mathematics anxiety level. Similarly, students with low levels of mathematics anxiety should be helped to increase their motivation for learning, and continuously encouraged to improve their achievement. The study also recommended increasing recreational activities to lower the levels of anxiety, which affect many students of the secondary level, and the improvement of the mathematics curriculum so as to match the ability levels of those students. Finally, the researcher recommended paying more attention to the proper professional, psychological and educational preparation of mathematics teacher so as to be able to accomplish his role effectively.