INFLUENCE OF BUSINESS EDUCATION ON ACQUISITION OF MANAGERIAL, ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT SKILLS BY STUDENTS AS RATED BY BUSINESS EDUCATORS IN COLLEGES OF EDUCATION IN NORTH-CENTRAL NIGERIA

Abstract

 

This study was conducted to determine the ratings of business educators on influence of business education on acquisition of managerial, accounting and financial management skills by students in Colleges of Education (COEs) in North-Central Nigeria. The study had two research questions and null hypotheses. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The study population comprised 104 business educators in the COEs used for the study. The entire population was used without sampling because the researchers adopted a census survey. The data were collected using a 28 items questionnaire designed by the researchers. The questionnaire was administered on all the respondents, but only 83 (80%) were returned and used for the data analysis. The research questions were answered using mean scores with boundary limits: 4.50-5.00 (very high extent), 3.50-4.49 (high extent), 2.50-3.49 (moderate extent), 1.50-2.49 (low extent) and 1.00-1.49 (very low extent), while the null hypotheses were tested using t-test at 0.05 level of significance. The decision rule was that a null hypothesis would be retained if the p-value was ≥0.05 and rejected if <0.05. The findings of the study revealed that business educators in COEs in North-Central Nigeria rated the extent of acquisition of managerial, accounting and financial management skills by the students as being high. There was also no significant difference between the mean ratings of business educators in Federal and State COEs in North-Central Nigeria on influence of business education on acquisition of managerial skills by students and the same was the case between the mean ratings of business educators with first degree and those with high degrees in COEs in North-Central Nigeria on influence of business education on acquisition of accounting and financial management skills by students. The study concluded that business education is a potent tool for producing competent managers of human, material and financial resources and commitment to the cause of business education would lead to skills acquisition which is the ultimate goals of education. As a way forward, the study among others, recommended that business education students should be allowed to do their SIWES in management and accounting firms/offices so as to acquire practical skills in management, accounting and financial management.

Key words:  Business Education, Skills Acquisition, Managerial Skills, Accounting Skills, Financial Management Skills, Business Educators, Colleges of Education