Working With the African Journal of Research In Mathematics Science And Technology Education
I have been submitting to and reviewing for various African education journals for years, and the African Journal Of Research In Mathematics Science And Technology Education is one of the ones that comes up regularly. It is a peer-reviewed open access journal that focuses on mathematics, science, and technology education research across the continent. It is indexed in several databases including DOAJ and Google Scholar. If you are looking to publish here, you need to understand how it actually operates rather than treating it like just another paper mill. The journal accepts original research articles, review papers, and occasionally case studies. The scope covers K-12 through higher education levels, with emphasis on pedagogical approaches, curriculum development, teacher education, and policy implications. What I find interesting is that they are fairly strict about methodological rigor compared to some regional alternatives. A descriptive survey with no proper sampling justification will get desk-rejected faster than you might expect. Here is the practical side that most people miss. When I first submitted to this journal, I made the mistake of framing my study purely around quantitative test score improvements without sufficiently contextualizing the socio-economic factors affecting the participants. The reviewers were very clear that in the African education context, you cannot separate learning outcomes from infrastructure constraints, language barriers, and resource availability. I had to revise the discussion section significantly to address these factors before the paper was accepted. That feedback cycle took about three months from revision to final acceptance.
The submission process itself is straightforward if you follow their author guidelines precisely. They use a standard online manuscript preparation system. Make sure your references follow their preferred format exactly because I have seen papers delayed by weeks over citation formatting issues alone. Their target word count for research articles is typically between 5,000 and 8,000 words including references. Abstracts should be structured with clear headings: background, methods, results, and conclusion. Common pitfalls I have observed: Many researchers submit work that is too narrowly focused on one country without acknowledging broader continental relevance. The journal wants studies that can inform practice across multiple African contexts, not just a single school district. Another issue is the overuse of Western theoretical frameworks without critical adaptation. Your theoretical framework should engage with literature from African educational contexts, not just paste in Vygotsky or Piaget and move on.
The peer review process typically takes 8 to 14 weeks for the first round. This is on the longer side compared to some other journals, but it reflects the reality that finding reviewers who are both qualified and available within the African academic calendar is genuinely difficult. I have lost count of how many review invitations go unaccepted because potential reviewers are overwhelmed with teaching loads. If you are preparing a manuscript for this journal, I would recommend starting your reference list early with recent publications from the journal itself. This shows the editors that you understand the conversation happening in their space. It also helps you calibrate your writing style to match what they expect. Read at least five recent articles from each of the last two years before you submit anything. Open access means there is usually an article processing charge, though they sometimes offer waivers or discounts for authors from low-income African countries. Check their current fee structure before you submit because these can change. The charges fund the peer review and publication infrastructure, and while they exist, they are generally lower than equivalent journals based in Europe or North America.
Get the Full Details
The journal publishes quarterly. If your work has a time-sensitive policy angle, such as research on a recently implemented curriculum reform, you might want to contact the editorial office directly to ask about expedited review possibilities. I have had mixed success with this approach but it is worth trying if timing matters for your research impact.
