ABSTRACT

The study was conducted to assess the adequacy of business studies curriculum implementation on students‟ skill acquisition in the secondary schools in Yobe State, Nigeria.

The study was necessitated by the continuous increase in the rate of unemployment of secondary school leavers in the state which was resultingto high rate of insecurity in the state. Four research questions were raised for the study, while four null hypotheses were drawn, and tested at 0.05 level of significance.The entire population of 116 respondents were used as the sample of the study. Weighted Mean was used to answer the research questions. The Weighted mean of 2.5 and above was used as benchmark for agree while weighted mean of less than 2.5 represented disagree category. Simple Regression was used to test all the null hypotheses. The study revealed among others that adequate qualified business studies teachers had significant influence on students‟ skills acquisition in secondary schools in Yobe State. Based on these findings, the study concluded that the students in secondary schools in Yobe State could not acquire appropriate knowledge, skills and competences in business studies as a result of inadequate qualified teachers, inappropriate teaching methodology and inappropriate teaching and learning facilities. In line with the conclusion, the study recommended among others that the schools administration should recruit adequate qualified business studies teachers and encourage teachers to employ appropriate teaching methodology and facilities to teach business studies in secondary schools in Yobe State so that the students will be able to acquire the desired knowledge, skills and competences to enable them to be employed and/or self-employed.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background to the Study

 Business Studies offer at junior secondary schools level in Nigeria contribute significantly to the national development and economic growth. It is aimed at providing the recipients with the needed skills and competence for employment and self-reliance. This is perhaps, the reason for its recognition in the revised National Policy on Education (1981). Business Studies consists of learning activities in relation to shorthand, commerce, keyboarding, office practice, book keeping and computer education. Business studies in secondary schools provides the students with the knowledge, skills, understandings and attitudes needed to fit into office occupation and the world of business. This implies that business studies has a propensity of making one pre-occupied with all that has been learnt while in school in order to earn a living in the face of unemployment.

Curriculum is the totality of activities carried out under the auspices of a school in response to societal demands. It consists of a continuous chain of activities necessary for translating educational goals into concrete activities, materials and observable behavioral change.Curriculum of any school is designed for the purpose of bringing about changes in the behavior of the pupils as well as developing their knowledge, skills and competences.Curriculum is the planned learning for the guidance of the school authority. The learning is carried out in group or individually either inside or outside the school.The focus of a school curriculum is usually the learner, the learning process and the target or expected transformation from the state of ignorance to that of knowledge, from unskilled to skilled, from thoughtlessness to positive and innovative or creative thinking. In other words, the major objective of school curriculum is to develop and direct management of human skills and competences to stand the test of societal changes in the process of producing needed goods and services. It is based on this that business studies are embedded into the curriculum of secondary schools.

Business studies curriculum is the secondary school curriculum that contains the teaching and learning of shorthand, office practice, keyboarding, book-keeping, computer to develop the knowledge, competences and skills of secondary school students for employment or self-employment. According to Ehimetalor, Osu-Nwufo, Makeri&Oladunoye (2009) assert that as a developing country, Nigeria stands to benefit more from this arm of education if adequate attention is given to the formulation of business studies curriculum at secondary school levels.Osuala (2004) reports that business studies curriculum content if properly developed and adequately delivered, opens a wide opportunity for people, and holds the key to Nigeria to become technologically relevant, internationally competitive, economically prosperous and even politically stable

The Nigerian business studiescurriculum in secondary schoolswas designed with rich contents by experts to help impart into the students the necessary knowledge, creative ability, skills and competences required to be productive member of the society. However, the basic problem as observed by the researcher was that these skills and competencesneeded by students for employment and self-employment have been inadequately imparted into the students by their teachers. This may be as a result of inadequate qualification of teachers, teachers‟ teaching experiences, inappropriate teaching methodology and inadequate computers. Thiswas further observed to have increased the rate of unemployment, poverty and other evil vices in our societies.

It was based on this background that the researcher conductedthis study to assess the adequacy of business studies curriculum implementation on students‟ skill acquisition in secondary schools in Yobe State.

1.2         Statement of the Problem

 The importance of skill acquisition through business studies curriculum implementation for national growth, and in reducing Nigeria‟s social and economic problems cannot be overemphasized. The relevance can only be visible if students are given adequate vocational training in skills, knowledge and competence at all levels of education without jobs, while there are many jobs without qualified and capable hands.This is because, achieving the objectives of business studies curriculum in Yobe state secondary schools has continued to be bedeviled by lots of problems ranging from the provision of adequate qualified teachers, appropriate teaching methodology, facilities, and experienced teachers to teach business studies.

It is on the basis of this background that this study was conducted to assess the adequacy of business studies curriculum implementation on students‟ skill acquisition at secondary schools in Yobe State.

1.3         Objectives of the Study

 The general objective of this studywas to assess the adequacy of business studies curriculum implementationon students‟ skill acquisition insecondary schools in Yobe State

 The specific objectives were to;

  determine the influence ofadequate qualified teachers on business studies students‟ skill acquisition in secondary schools in Yobe State.

  determine the influence of appropriate teaching method on business studies students‟ skills acquisition in secondary schools in Yobe State.

1. ascertain the influence adequate facilities on business studies students‟ skills acquisition in secondary schools in Yobe state.

1. examine the influence of teachers‟ experience on business studies students‟ skills in secondary schools in Yobe State.

1.4         Research Questions

  Based on the specific objectives, the following research questions were raised.

 what is the influence of qualified teachers on business studies students‟ Skill acquisition in secondary schools in Yobe State?

1. what is the influence of teaching method on business studies students‟ skill acquisition in secondary schools in Yobe State?

1. what is the influence of teaching facilities on business studies students‟ skills acquisition in secondary schools in Yobe State?

1. what is the influence of teachers‟ experience on business studies students‟ skills acquisition in secondary schools in Yobe State?

1.5         Research Hypotheses

Based on the research questions, the following null hypotheses for the study were postulated:

1. 1.      There is no significant influence of adequate qualified teachers on business studies students‟ Skill acquisition in secondary schools in Yobe State.

1. 2.      There is no significant influenceof teaching method on business studies students‟ skill acquisition in secondary schools in Yobe State.

1. 3.      There is no significant influence ofteaching facilities on business studies students‟ skills acquisition in secondary schools in Yobe State?

1. 4.      There is no significant influence of teachers‟ experience ofbusiness studies students‟ skills acquisition in secondary schools in Yobe State?

1.6         Significance of the Study

The findings of this study will be of immense benefit to the following stakeholders; students, teachers, schools and government of Yobe State respectively

The findings of this study will enable secondary schools students to be imparted with the appropriate skills and competences needed to be employed and/or self-employed. This will go a long way to reduce unemployment and poverty among the teeming youths, especially in Yobe State.

The findings of this study will help teachers to identify the appropriate methodology to teach business studies so as to impart the appropriate and needed skill and competences to the students. The will help the student to secure employment with the skills or they shall be self-employed.The findings will further provide direction for business teachers at the JSS level for better improvement of students‟ performance in the classroom.

The findings of the study will help the school administration to be able to employ adequate qualified teachers to teach business studies in the secondary schools.If adequate qualified teachers are employed, the right skills shall be imparted into the students accordingly.

   The state government shall also benefit from the findings of this study. As adequate and needed skills are imparted into the students, many shall be employed and some of the students shall be self-employed. This will consequently reduce unemployment and alleviate poverty among the teeming youths in the state. This will go a long way to reduce evil vices in the state.Through the outcome of this study, government will understand the level of shortage of equipment and facilities which have contributed in no small measure in preventing the attainment of business studies objectives, and so provide all necessary input to make the delivery of the subject a success.

1.7         Basic Assumptions for the Study

The study assumed that:

1. adequate qualified teachers in business studies will enhance skill acquisition among secondary school students in Yobe State

1. appropriate teaching method will influence students skill acquisition in business studies in secondary schools in Yobe State.

1. adequate teaching facilities will influence students skills acquisition in business studies in secondary schools in Yobe State.

1.8         Delimitation of the Study

This research studywas delimited toassessing how business studies curriculum implementation enhances students‟ skill acquisition in secondary schools in Yobe State. It covers 56public secondary schools drawn fromDamaturu, Fika, Gujba, Nguru and Machina for security reason. It was further delimited tobusiness studies teachers in public secondary schools in Yobe State. The reason for the choice of these secondary schools was aimed at ensuring similar environmental   conditions   and  ensuring   a   level   playing   ground  for   the   respondents.  The respondents in these secondary schools were delimited to business studies teachers.