Culturally Responsive Pedagogy in Secondary Mathematics Education: Evidence from Zanzibar

Background: Culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP) is increasingly recognised as a critical approach for promoting equity and meaningful learning in mathematics education. However, empirical evidence on its implementation in Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly within multilingual contexts such as Zanzibar, remains limited. Purpose: This study examined the integration of cultural perspectives into the secondary mathematics curriculum, evaluated teachers' implementation of culturally responsive pedagogy, and analysed the pedagogical and institutional conditions influencing its implementation. Methods: A convergent mixed-methods design was employed involving 32 mathematics teachers from four public secondary schools in Zanzibar. Quantitative data from curriculum reviews and classroom observations were analysed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with 12 purposively selected teachers were analysed thematically. Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory guided data interpretation. Results: Cultural integration within the mathematics curriculum was limited (37.5%), and classroom implementation of culturally responsive pedagogy remained low (40%). Implementation was constrained by interconnected pedagogical and institutional factors, including examination-oriented teaching, curriculum rigidity, inadequate preparation in culturally responsive instruction, limited instructional resources, language-related challenges, and weak institutional support. These constraints restricted teachers' capacity to contextualise mathematical concepts within learners' cultural experiences. Conclusions: The implementation of culturally responsive pedagogy is shaped more by systemic educational conditions than by teachers' individual commitment. Advancing culturally responsive mathematics education therefore requires coordinated reforms in curriculum design, teacher education, assessment, and institutional support. By providing empirical evidence from Zanzibar, this study extends current understanding of culturally responsive mathematics education in multilingual African contexts and offers policy-relevant insights for strengthening equitable and contextually meaningful mathematics teaching.