Causes of the Reduction in the Enrollment of Business Education
CHAPTER ONE
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The main purpose of this study is to find out the causes of the reduction in the enrollment of business education.
Specifically, this study will sought to find out;
- The factors which influence students’ choice of business studies as a course of study.
- Investigate if Students perceptions about business as a course of study also influence the choice of business education.
- Examine students’ perception about business education.
- Investigate the career choices factors that are inhibiting students from pursuing business as a course of study.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
INTRODUCTION
Our focus in this chapter is to critically examine relevant literatures that would assist in explaining the research problem and furthermore recognize the efforts of scholars who had previously contributed immensely to similar research. The chapter intends to deepen the understanding of the study and close the perceived gaps.
Precisely, the chapter will be considered in two sub-headings:
- Conceptual Framework
- Chapter Summary
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
Business Education
In order to be able to understand the concept of business education, it would be necessary to look at the definitions of business education in the past and present time. This is because technology has helped to change definitions of certain things. It therefore, implies that business education, as a course of study has to move with time. Popham (1975) said when a group of people were asked what business education is? The reply was as follows: A business executive replied, “Business Education is education to produce goods and services”. A radical retorted: It is the avenue to make enormous profit. One teacher responded: Economic concepts necessary for living in a business economy. Another teacher answered: Learning skills to enter a business or distributive job. A person on the street said “Shorthand and typing, that’s it”. After looking at the different views of business educators, Popham came to a conclusion that: Business education is a course that prepares students for entry into and advancement in jobs within business and it is equally important because it prepares students to handle their own business affairs and to function intelligently as consumers and citizens in a business economy. Nolan, Hayden & Malsbary (1967) defined business education as those business programmes and courses taught ordinarily at the secondary school level. Osuala E.C. (1989) defined Business education as an essential part of the preparation of youths for live and living. In 2004, Osuala, gave another definition as a programme of instruction which consists of two parts (1) Office education – a vocational programme of office careers through initial, refresher and upgrading education and (2) General business education – a programme to provide students with information and competences which are needed by all in managing personal business affairs and in using the services of the business. Still on the definition of business education, Njoku (1997) defines business education as that facet of educational training that helps the individual to acquire relevant skills needed for living. However, in 2006 Njoku gave another definition as an educational programme that equips an individual with functional and suitable skills, knowledge, attitude and value that would enable him/her operates in the environment he/she finds himself/herself. It can be seen from the foregoing discussions that as the years go by; the definitions of business education continue to change. This means that business education is not static. Also, according to the American Vocational Association (AVA, 1980), Business Education programme, is a broad and comprehensive discipline whose instructional programme encompasses knowledge, skills, vocation and aptitude needed by all citizens in order to effectively manage their personal businesses and also function in the economic system. Wilson (1999) views business education as a broad based business programme having a composite of represents a broad and diverse discipline that includes in all types of educational delivery system. Business Education, an academic programme offered in tertiary institution is designed to provide learning situations for skill acquisition among students who could apply such skills in their occupation, managing personal business, for personal living in the society and for nation building. Its components are therefore a union of general education and business components. The growing need for business knowledge has continued to expand and increase from the era of industrial revolution in western world and indigenization policy (Osuala 2009).
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
AREA OF STUDY
Cape Coast is the capital of the Central Region, in southern Ghana. It’s known for its role in the transatlantic slave trade. Overlooking the Gulf of Guinea, Cape Coast Castle is a large whitewashed fort built by the Swedish in the 17th century. It was later used by the British as a holding prison for slaves. Inside, the Castle Museum has exhibits on pre-colonial local history, the slave trade and traditional crafts.
RESEARCH DESIGN
Research designs are perceived to be an overall strategy adopted by the researcher whereby different components of the study are integrated in a logical manner to effectively address a research problem. In this study, the researcher employed the survey research design. This is due to the nature of the study whereby the opinion and views of people are sampled.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
INTRODUCTION
This chapter presents the analysis of data derived through the questionnaire and key informant interview administered on the respondents in the study area. The analysis and interpretation were derived from the findings of the study. The data analysis depicts the simple frequency and percentage of the respondents as well as interpretation of the information gathered. A total of one hundred and twenty seven (127) questionnaires were administered to respondents of which on hundred (100) copies were returned and validated. This was due to irregular, incomplete and inappropriate responses to some questionnaire. For this study a total of 100 was validated for the analysis.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS:
Introduction
This chapter summarizes the findings into the causes of the reduction in the enrollment of business education using senior high schools in Cape Coast as case study. The chapter consists of summary of the study, conclusions, and recommendations.
Summary of the Study
In this study, our focus was to investigate the causes of the reduction in the enrollment of business education using senior high schools in .Cape Coast as case study. The study specifically was aimed at finding out the factors which influence students’ choice of business studies as a course of study; Investigate if Students perceptions about business as a course of study also influence the choice of business education; Examine students’ perception about business education and Investigate the career choices factors that are inhibiting students from pursuing business as a course of study.
The study adopted the survey research design and randomly enrolled participants in the study. A total of 100 responses were validated from the enrolled participants where all respondent are active students of the selected 3 senior high school in Cape Coast Ghana.
Conclusions
Based on the findings of this study, the researcher made the following conclusion.
- Parents’ expectations for their wards, their occupation, perceptions about business studies, educational level and income level are factors that influence students’ choice of business studies as a course of study.
- Students’ perceptions about business as a course of study also influence the choice of business as a course of study.
- Students perceive business studies as a course which is not too boring, it is not meant for mathematically inclined students, relates to daily life activities and is not difficult to pass, and the subject is not reserved only for males.
- Career choices factors such as; the existence of wider choice of attractive careers in the world, poor labour conditions for business studies products, low job availability for business studies products and low earnings for business studies products are factors inhibiting students from pursuing business as a course of study.
RECOMMENDATIONS
From the findings of this study, the researcher recommended that parents should understand that the new era of business is not comparable to the nature of business in the past, as a matter of fact business in its new era offers wide and more lucrative opportunities which can be considered as profitable to be taken as a career worth studying. Thus, parents should bring to the knowledge of their ward on the essentials of business education. More so, most activities of the world today revolves around business practice, this means that any individual without a proper business knowledge will appear as a mere illiterate before other, upon this reason it is therefore recommended that the school authorities and other relevant authorities should enact a measure through which business education would be enforced among not just senior high schools but also tertiary institutions and if not done, the feature of business in generations to come might be in a devastated condition.
REFERENCE
- Adejobi, H. S. (2003). Teaching Business Education, some fact you should know. Lagos. Sabola Publisher.
- Ajisafe, O. E., & Kayode O., E. (2015). Issues in Business Education Programme: Challenges to National Transformation. Journal of Education and Practice Vol.6, No.21, 2015
- Asa, K. L, & Ajani, C. (2012). Business Education and Nigeria economy. Journal of Social Issues, 37(2), 1-7.
- Denzin, N. K.f Lincoin, Y.S. (1994). Entering the field of qualification research. New York, Columbia University Press
- Federal Government of Nigeria (2004). National Policy on Education, Lagos: Federal Government press.
- Federal Republic of Nigeria (2004). National Policy on Education 4th Edition Published by NERC. Yaba Lagos.
- National Business Education Association (1995). National Standards for Business Education: What America’s Students Should Know and Be Able to Do in Business. America. NBEA official publication. http://ecedweb.unomaha.edu/standards/BusEdStandards.htm#intro
- Njoku, C.U. (2006). Business education and value orientation for national economic empowerment and development. A paper presented at Annual Conference of the Association of Business Education of Nigeria (ABEN), Owo 2006.
