Gaps between inside school and out-of-school mathematics in Ghana

Researchers are now pointing to the fact that mathematics that was once regarded as culturei2 and value free is no longer regarded as such. Views about the nature of mathematical facts being absolute and unquestionable have changed in recent times. Mathematics education researchers have therefore highlighted the need for the recognition of children‟s out-of-school mathematical practicesii in scaffolding their learning in mathematics classroom. This paper reviews theories and research on culture nature of mathematical knowledge. It also discusses the possible reason why Ghanaian primary school mathematics curriculumiii; does not reflect much of the out-of-school mathematical practices and the way forward.Keywords: nature of mathematics, mathematics and culture, ethnomathematics, mathematics curriculu