Why Math Is the Most Disliked School Subject: Reasons, Stats & Tips

Ask anyone at a family gathering what subject they hated most in school, and you’ll hear the same answer repeating across ages, countries, and backgrounds: math. There’s something uniquely anxiety-inducing about those numbers, formulas, and word problems that leaves students fidgeting in their seats while their teachers scribble on the whiteboard. What is it about math that makes people squirm? Is it really as tough as everyone says? Or is something else going on behind the collective sigh at the start of every algebra class?

The Surprising Scale of Math Dislike

Let’s not dance around it—math stands tall as the most disliked subject in classrooms worldwide. A 2024 Oxford Education study surveyed over 120,000 students across 39 countries, revealing around 41% of teenagers admitted to actively disliking math. That’s nearly one in every two students staring at the clock, wishing for the hour to end. Compare that to just 9% who said they disliked reading, and about 14% for history. The numbers aren’t just academic: they echo in lunchroom conversations, after-school tutoring sessions, and those Saturday mornings ruined by extra homework.

But why such strong aversion? The story unfolds early. In New Zealand, by the time students hit intermediate school, about 32% report feeling anxious about math assessments compared to less than 10% for any other subject. Especially for girls, math anxiety doubles—something echoed in a 2023 study by Victoria University of Wellington examining Kiwi students’ attitudes. And it’s not just the anxiety. Math’s reputation as a “gatekeeper” to more advanced fields means failing it feels worse than failing art or social studies. Kids sense that math matters for their futures, making every red cross on a worksheet feel like a personal verdict.

This challenge isn’t unique to New Zealand. In the US, the National Assessment of Educational Progress found as recently as 2023 that math scores hit their lowest point in decades after pandemic disruptions. Meanwhile, in Japan—a country famous for educational rigor—students actually named math as their least favorite subject, not language or science. The trend crosses borders, cultures, and economic backgrounds. So, if you’ve ever buckled under pressure during algebra class, you’re definitely not alone.

Some folks argue that math just “isn’t for everyone.” But when almost half of students dread it, there’s got to be a bigger picture. Part of it is the pressure to get quick, correct answers. Mess up a calculation? There’s no “close enough” like you’d find in a creative writing class. Add in the way schools race through topics instead of letting kids really dig into them, and it’s a recipe for confusion and dread. Plus, if a student misses a key idea early on (say, fractions in primary school), math just gets harder and more mysterious with every year. And the negative cycle gets worse—once someone believes they’re “not a math person,” their confidence and curiosity vanish.

Technology isn’t helping here either. Despite hundreds of math apps and clever online tools, surveys from 2025 show that kitted-out classrooms have not made much of a dent in math dislike. Digital tools sometimes simply speed up the same old rote learning, rather than making math feel friendlier or more relevant. The anxiety remains, just with shinier calculators.

Unpacking the Roots: Why Do Students Dread Math?

So, what’s actually fueling this widespread math dislike? It isn’t as simple as “math is just hard.” There are layers—some clear, some sneaky. First, there’s the pressure of getting the right answer, every single time. There’s no grey area; it’s right or wrong. That constant judgement makes every class feel like an exam, even just copying problems off the board. Students who get stuck early on rarely get a chance to recover, and the subject starts feeling like an endless mountain.

This leads straight into the “math anxiety” spiral. Researchers have been able to see this pattern in kids as young as seven. In a 2022 University of Cambridge study, students with high math anxiety performed 15% lower than similarly smart classmates who felt confident. It doesn’t stop at school, either—adults who felt anxious about math as children are less likely to help their own kids with homework. The fear passes from parent to child, building over generations.

One big culprit is how math is traditionally taught. Picture those rows of seats, the teacher rattling off steps with barely time to blink, and the same sort of problems repeated again and again. The fun bits—the puzzles, the patterns, the weird shortcuts—often get lost. New Zealand’s Education Review Office noticed in 2024 that students who learned math through real-world projects, like designing tiny gardens or tracking rugby statistics, reported 40% less classroom anxiety than those stuck with endless worksheets. The lesson? If students don’t see “why” math matters outside class, interest fizzles.

Social stereotypes don’t help, either. Tons of kids hear, “I was never good at math” from adults in their lives, especially from women. This subtle messaging, documented in a 2023 UNICEF report, is one reason boys end up less anxious about the subject. That doesn’t mean boys like math more—it just means they dodge the extra burden of self-doubt piled onto girls. When a child hears from parents or even TV characters that “math is for smart kids” or “math is hard,” it sinks in.

Another twist: language barriers. For many kids in bilingual or ESOL (English as a Second Language) classrooms, confusing instructions can make math even more stressful. The New Zealand Ministry of Education reported in early 2025 that students learning in their second language scored an average of 18% lower in math assessments than native speakers, even when they understood the math itself. It’s not the numbers, but the wording that causes trouble.

What about the homework load? Math takes the crown for the most homework complaints by far. Kiwi high schoolers in a 2024 survey named math as the number-one subject where they both needed, and resented, after-school help. The repetition, without any feeling of progress, chips away at motivation. And let’s be honest: waiting for the “aha!” moment while staring at a page of problems is draining for everyone.

Interestingly, culture sometimes plays a part. In places where math success is equated with discipline and prestige (think South Korea or Singapore), students feel even more pressure. But even in countries with relaxed school vibes, like Finland, math still lags way behind subjects like PE and art for popularity. Bottom line: anxiety and dislike aren’t about how “tough” a country is—it’s about how students experience math on a daily basis.

Turning the Tables: Making Math Less Hated

Getting kids to like math isn’t hopeless, no matter how bad the reputation seems. The trick is rethinking the way math is taught and talked about. One proven technique? Move away from the “there’s only one right answer” mindset. In classrooms across Wellington experimenting with open-ended math tasks, students showed 27% higher engagement and less stress because they could explain their thinking instead of just showing their work.

Another boost comes from connecting math to real life. Sure, balancing chemical equations seems useless until you realize bakers and brewers rely on ratios every single day. Manchester University found in 2024 that students who saw math woven into subjects like economics, cooking, or even music were more likely to see themselves as “math people.” When math means more than just marks on a test sheet, confidence and genuine interest follow. For younger students, games and puzzles—think Sudoku or Minecraft building—bring curiosity back into the picture.

Parents can make a huge difference too, and not just by drilling times tables. Encouraging perseverance (“It’s okay to get stuck!”) is much more effective than praising only correct answers. Even parents who hated math themselves can help by admitting it and working through challenges together. Teachers who model making mistakes, talk about their own struggles, and show that learning is messy help kids see math as an ongoing process, not a talent you either have or don’t.

Looking ahead, schools are starting to change things up. In New Zealand, the latest teaching guidelines encourage mixed-ability math groups, where students swap roles between “teacher” and “learner.” Instead of blasting through content, these classes slow down to let kids really chew over problems and help each other. Early results? Declining math anxiety rates and a little more laughter in the classroom. Apps and websites like MathsBuddy or Khan Academy are making the subject a little less scary, especially for kids who prefer to learn at their own pace or revisit tricky topics without pressure. These tools keep track of progress in real time and dish out small victories that add up.

• Turn mistakes into learning: Instead of "Why did you get this wrong?" try "How did you think about this problem?"
• Make it social: Study in groups, swap stories about tough lessons, and celebrate stuck moments together.
• Use real-life math: Budget for outings, cook simple recipes, or count sports stats. When math leaves the worksheet, it sticks better.
• Play with it: Puzzles, games, and apps can sneak learning into fun, taking the edge off anxiety.
• Talk positively: Even if you struggled, avoid saying "I'm not a math person"—it sets up a mental block for kids in earshot.
• Ask for help early: If you get lost, don’t wait and hope it clicks later. Teachers love seeing curiosity, not just correct answers.

One more thing: make sure anyone struggling knows they’re not alone. Nearly half of their classmates feel the same way, even if they’re too embarrassed to admit it. The secret? Everyone’s brain is wired to learn math, but it takes practice, patience, and a little kindness—from others and yourself. Next time the subject comes up in a quiz night or TikTok meme, remember: most disliked subject doesn’t have to mean most hopeless.