INTRODUCTION 

BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Mathematics is the backbone of science and Technology. Many students all over the country have developed hatred for the learning of mathematics in our society. In our schools today, hardly do we find up to ten percents of the students or up to above average in mathematics in EGCSE result. Majority of the student score ordinary pass or failure in mathematics. According, to the shorter Oxford English Dictionary by WILLIA1 LITTLE, pg 44, FOLLER AND JESSIE COULSON, Mathematics is defined as the collective name for geometry, Arithmetic, Trigonometry, Algebra and certain sciences involving geometrical reasoning. In a wider sense mathematics is viewed as those branches of research which consist the application of abstract science to concrete data. More also, Advanced learner’s dictionary of current English defined mathematics as a science of number and size in which Arithmetic’s, Algebra, Trigonometry and Geometry are branches. The importance of Mathematics’ in everyday life cannot be over emphasized.
According to Bell (1979:21,25) no one can grow up without accounting numerary, the primary raw materials of so much mathematics without performing some simple measurement, playing some mathematics games, handling cm, telling the time, reading sore double entry tables and some graphic noticing the presence of some simple geometrical shape. Also, no nation can develop scientifically, industrially and technologically without mathematics. This is because mathematics was used as help in commerce and industry, farming building and in the control of the environment. Since ages, man has enjoyed the used of numbers in calculation and reckoning and geometrical forms of objects and shape around him. In this way the cognitive aspect of mathematics has always had a place in the life of man. Furthermore, one of the objectives of mathematics as specified in early report of mathematics in commonwealth school (1969: 162) is that student should enjoy mathematics and not to be afraid of thinking about it. This one prompt me into the necessity of find out the causes and solution to the common errors committed by the Junior Secondary School Students on conservation of Mass and volume. especially in Manzini South Local government Area. All because it is evident that the aim. stated above achieved. These students don't enjoy this concept neither does different sizes and shapes of object interest them.
This is furthermore in government offices: a modest amount of mathematical knowledge is required for exciting business, policies and decisions. More also, economically, survival of ordinary citizen depends on ability to compare and estimate values at articles. determine prices of foodstuffs, reckon distance and time, weight evidences and be able to left substance from charts. This the complexity of the modern society has necessitated for every man to have a certain amount of competence in basic mathematics for the purpose of handing money, in daily business interpreting mathematical graphs and charts. And also, to enhance logical thinking and reasoning. As a researcher it is therefore necessary for me to find out the reasons why our children do not understand the concepts of volume and mass. Also, to offer some remedies behind the misconception of mass and volume of different sizes and shapes of objects among the Junior Secondary School Student.
 
From some past years' results, report from Eswatini General Certificate of Secondary School Education (EGCSE) showed that students generally failed mathematic. This evidently showed that effective teaching and learning in mathematics is not taking place. Why should we have high rate of failures in mathematics? who responsible for this mass failures, the teacher or the student? the behaviour of many teachers and students in Junior Secondary School is negative towards the teaching learning of mass and volumes of objects. me teachers leave the concepts untaught in Junior Secondary Schools mainly because they do not know the concepts or they know it but do not know how to disseminate it to the students. For Juniour Secondary School Students to perform well in identifying the mass and volumes of the different size and shapes of objects and containers and to able to distinguish between volume and mass. This research is therefore geared towards addressing the following pertinent questions:
What are the common errors committed by Junior Secondary School Students in conservation of mass and volume in mathematics?
What are the factors responsible for the students’ misconception?
How can the errors be remedied?
The purpose of this research is to study the misconception of volumes and mass of size and shapes of different object: and containers among some selected Secondary School in Manzini South Local Government Area Manzini Region. Generally speaking, the performance of the Junior
secondary School Students in the cognitive and Affective domain of some mathematical sizes and shapes is not encouraging. The teacher’s attitude towards the concept and the students’ perception of the concept shows that the effective learning has not taken place. This study therefore seeks among other things.
(1)    Find out Junior Secondary Schools Student knowledge of conservation of mass and volume.
(2)    Find out the students’ common errors on the conservation of mass and volume
(3)    To provides solution to the common conservation error Committed by the students.
This study covers the knowledge of the conservation and the misconception of mass and volume by Junior Secondary School Students in the elected Secondary Schools only in Manzini South of Manzini Region. The number of the students selected is 200 only, 40 from each school And a few numbers of mathematics teacher in School. The conclusion of the research might not be 100% correct generalised on because of these. Furthermore, the teachers’ refusal to give correct and adequate information is there. Also, the overstatement of information by many students as regard the misconception of volume and weight in these selected schools might pose some problem to the researcher. Time factor is there that is in collection of the necessary needed information from the selected schools. Moreover, finance might also be a great factor that imposes limitation to the research study since it will involve travelling, questionnaire and some other monetary demands and the project is not sponsor by any firm.
 
The outcome of this study have many educational implications which can be briefly discussed below: It will serve as a guide to the Junior Secondary School Teachers to identify the ways of impacting know-ledge to the students on the concepts of volume and mass (of the sizes and shapes of different objective and containers). The findings of this study will enable the Junior Secondary School Student to be able to grasp the conservation concepts of mass and volumes of the sizes and shapes of the different objects and containers. It will also help the student to use modern scales in weighing various objects. In doing this student psycho-motor domain is promoted. This will lead also to the development of the manipulative skills and other skills relating to physical co-ordination of the Secondary School Student. More importantly this will be an avenue to any researcher for further research work doing the same focus or related topic.
 
VOLUME: This is the amount of shape occupied by a substance expressed in cubic measurement, it is determined by the length X breadth X and height.
WEIGHT: This is the measurement of quantity by means of weighing or the amount that something weighs. It is the quantity of a portion of matter as measured by the amount of its downward forces due to gravitations,
GEOMETRY: This is defined as the science which investigate the properties and relations of magnitude in space as lines, surfaces and solids, in mathematics it is the study which involves the analysis of shape formed by the relationships of lines; surfaces and solids in space.
CONCEPT: This is an idea or assumption which an individual has about an object.
CONSERVATION: This is rigid idea or unchangeable idea According to the afford English Dictionary by LITTLE et al conservation is defined as the power of retaining knowledge and the power of recalling it.
In short, the study is based on the misconception of mass and volumes and of the size and shapes of the different objects and containers among some selected Junior Secondary Schools in Manzini south Local Government Area of Manzini Region.