CAUSES OF THE REDUCTION IN THE ENROLLMENT OF BUSINESS EDUCATION

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Business education is a field of education which deal with business experiences for specialized occupational uses. Business education involves teaching students the fundamentals, theories, and process of business. As an arm of vocational education, its essential roles in the task of nation building is inestimable and well known to accountant, scientists, educationists and to people of all works of life. The realization of the essential role of education in general necessitate various plans and programme aimed at developing education at all levels in Africa in general.

Every person is involved in and depending on the world of business with it’s series of activities. This modern world with it’s holding companies; local, state and federal budgets, changing monetary policies government regulations and trade restrictions, demands a well informed citizenry. The market are filled with various types of goods and services. As consumers, people must decide how they will spend their limited income by choosing among many goods and services offered by business in a manner that will best meet their needs.

According to Azuka, Nwosu, Kanu and Agomuo (2006), in order to be economically literate and be informed citizens, wise  consumers and competent workers, each person must have some understanding of the world of business and it’s functions.

The origin of business education is traceable to private business schools. In the early 1990’s the proprietor’s of this private schools run them with motive of making profits. The curriculum was limited to few subjects like shorthand, typewriting, accounting, commerce, office practice, and secretarial studies. The system of education had in the past concentrated on the liberal academic education. Criticism of this type of education lead to the introduction termed as functional education (6-3-3-4), system of education in the government owned secondary school. In that same period, the curriculum was not properly planned and business communities were not involved in the administration of the schools to contribute financially or otherwise. The introduction of the 6-3-3-4 system of education in Nigeria placed great emphasis on business education.

Apart from all that the student can gain from studying business education only a few student enroll for business subjects in their  secondary school (SS). Therefore, this study was specifically designed to sought out the causes of the reduction in the enrollment of business education.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Considering the need for functional educational and criticism of liberal education which lead to the introduction of business as a course of study in secondary school; students low enrolment in this subject matter has been observed as a serious problem facing various high schools in Cape Coast Ghana  that is offering business subjects. Also it is annoying to observe that business subjects seem not to be progressing as it should be culminating to low enrolment of students in this area of the study.

1.3 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;

1.  The factors which influence students’ choice of business studies as a course of study.

2. Investigate if Students perceptions about business as a course of study also influence the choice of business education.

3. Examine students’ perception about business education.

4. Investigate the career choices factors that are inhibiting students from pursuing business as a course of study.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTION

1. what are the factors which influence students choice of business studies as a course of study?

2. Does Students perceptions about business as a course of study also influence the choice of business education?

3. What are students perception about business education?

4. What are the career choices factors that inhibiting students from pursuing business as a course of study?

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The purpose of this study is geared towards finding out the causes of reduction in the enrollment of business education in high schools in Cape coast. It will be immense beneficial to the educational planners, since it will assist them in formulation of sound and functional curriculum that will induce the students to study business subjects in secondary schools in Cape Coast, Ghana.

It will also be important to the policy maker to implement educational policies that will improve business education  in High schools.

Furthermore, it will be important to teachers to qualify in teaching business subjects in secondary schools.

In addition, it will be important for students to be wise consumers of economic goods and services.

Finally, the suggestions or opinions or recommendation which emanated from this study will help the state government to solve problems of student’s low enrolment on business subjects in secondary schools.

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study covered three (3) selected high schools in Cape Coast Ghana.

1.7 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

 This study was limited to the time and financial resources available to researcher.

Time constraint: Due to the tight programme of the university as a result of the time schedule, the researcher was not opportune to have all the time as she required.

Financial constraint: This constraint was as a result of high cost of transportation to travel round all the secondary schools in Cape Coast.

Also, this financial issue equally affected the materials the researcher used for the study. For example, some of the information found in the internet for this work, she was not with enough money to print out the hard copy but she spent the whole of the night copying the information in her exercise book. Some of the authors work she would have used for the work, she was not deposed with enough money to buy it and therefore decided to borrow from other counter parts.