Business Education Teachers’ Perceptions Regarding The Structure Of JSC Business Studies Examination
(A Case Study Of Enugu Urban)
Business education teachers play a critical role in shaping students’ preparation and understanding of the structure of the Junior Secondary Certificate (JSC) Business Studies examination. Their perceptions, informed by years of experience and pedagogical insights, profoundly influence instructional strategies and student outcomes. Through qualitative interviews and surveys, this research explores business education teachers’ perspectives on the examination’s format, content coverage, and assessment criteria. The findings elucidate educators’ views on the balance between theoretical concepts and practical applications, the alignment of examination objectives with curriculum goals, and the efficacy of assessment methods in evaluating students’ comprehension and analytical abilities. Insights gleaned from this study inform curriculum development, instructional practices, and assessment strategies, thereby enhancing the quality and relevance of business education at the junior secondary level while addressing the evolving needs of stakeholders in the education sector.
The study was aimed at ascertaining Business Education teacher’s perceptions regarding the structure of JSC examination in Enugu State with particular reference to Enugu Urban. The target population of the study comprised all the practicing business education teachers within all the selected secondary schools in Enugu Urban. The data generated were precisely analysed by the use of statistical frequency tables and percentage.Review of related literature was discussed in chapter two, issues of research procedure and methodology were covered in chapter three while chapter four presented and analysed the data generated for the study, chapter five discussed the findings, drew conclusions and some recommendations made the most weighty finding of the study was that business education teachers held opinion that the structure of JSC examination in Enugu Urban is not to be regarded as good.
One of the major recommendation was that government should make its presence felt by providing motivational incentives in the form of instructional materials such as erecting typing pool, machines, adequate right calibre of teachers that will make it feasible to overhaul the current structure of JSC examination.
Title page
Approval Page
Certification
Dedication
Acknowledgement
Abstract
Table of content
CHAPTER ONE
Background of the study 1-5
Statement of the problem 6-8
Purpose of the study 8-9
Significant of the study 9-10
Research question 10-11
Research hypothesis 11
Limitation of the study 11-12
Scope of the study 12
Definition of terms 12-13
CHAPTER TWO
Review of related literature 14
Business study and objective/evaluation 14-23
Components of JSC Business studies
Examination paper 23-25
Other similar JSC examination 25-28
CHAPTER THREE
Research procedure and methodology 29
Research design 29
Area of study 29
Population of the study 30
Sample selection 30
Instrument for data collection 30-31
Validity of the instrument 31
Reliability of the instrument 31
Procedure for questionnaire administration 32
Method of data analysis 32
CHAPTER FOUR
Presentation and analysis of data 33-49
CHAPTER FIVE
Discussion of Findings, Conclusion,
Recommendation and Summary 50
Discussion of findings 50-53
Research question 2 54-55
Research question 3 55-57
Research question 4 57-58
Research question 5 58-59
Summary of finding 59-60
Conclusion 60-61
Recommendation 61-63
Suggestion for further studies 63
References 64-65
Appendix 66-69
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Education as defined by the National Policy on Education revised (2004) is a dynamic instrument per excellence for effecting National development and a potent means for ensuring the welfare of the people and the equalization of life chances. In the same vein a renowned Nigerian Educationalist, Fafunwa (2004) defined Education as “an aggregate of all the processes by means of which a person develops abilities, attitudes and other forms of behaviour of positive value in the society in which he lives.
Business Education which is an integral part of general Education grew in Nigeria as a Private Business Schools. The earliest type of business Education was the apprenticeship training of book keepers. In later part of the 19th century, private business schools i.e. commercial schools as they are popularly called had a virtual monopoly, in training the skilled employee needed by all types of business organizations and government offices. Indeed, many of the successful business executives of the early 1900s were graduates of private business schools. When the government took over schools in 1971, most of the business schools were merged with secondary and grammar schools. There was an emergent shift in emphasis and orientation towards a more functional approach to secondary education that better fulfils the socio-economic needs of the nation1 (Igboke 2008).
With the introduction of the 6-3-3-4 system of education in Nigeria, greater emphasis has been placed on Business Education known as Business studies in the junior secondary and the vocational business subjects such as shorthand, typewriting, Accounting, Office Practice and Commerce, in Senior Secondary Schools. (Igboke, 2008).
The new National Policy on education (6-3-3-4 system) requires a child to spend six years in primary, three years in Junior secondary school, another three years in Senior Secondary School before proceeding for a 4-year university education.
At the end of the three years in junior secondary school, the students are examined on a number of subjects including Business studies for the award of Junior Secondary School Certificate.
According to Everiet (2002), Business studies is an inter-disciplinary integrated subject which draws its contents from other five distinct subjects namely:-
i. Office Practice
ii. Commerce
iii. Book Keeping
iv. Type writing, and
v. Shorthand.
During Junior Secondary school certificate examination, Business studies questions are set from all the five subjects listed above. And to ensure that all the subject areas are done, the normal rubrics given the students in the examination, requires them to attempt all the questions in the five subject areas of the paper without any subject options. This has been the practice in some states like Imo, Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu where business studies is offered in J.S.S. Examination.
However, it is observed that students do avoid answering questions in typing and shorthand which affect their cumulative result in Business studies JSS Examination.
Osuala (2004) observed that this has contributed to a significant decrease in the production of secretaries and typists at this level to work in our private and public offices as their services are seriously needed in our growing economy. For instance, to support the case being made for typewriting and shorthand, investigations conducted by the researcher at the JSC Examination marking centres at Enugu, Nsukka, and Abakaliki education zones in 2006, 2007 and 2008, revealed student’s subject choice pattern in the JSS Business studies examination to be in favour of office practice, commerce and book-keeping.
This choice of three subject areas in the examination, draws together all the problems arising from the examination structure might be that government either avoid obligation or does not see the justification to build workshops, provision of fund, instructional materials and equipment, qualified manpower and incentives to both teachers and students since students do not offer typewriting and shorthand. While Ministry of Education ironically gives certificate to students in Business studies in typewriting and shorthand for passing office practice, commerce, and Book –Keeping even when, in fact, the questions are not enough to cover the subject areas.
If this situation is allowed to continue, the future of Business studies in general and typewriting and shorthand in particular, will continue to be bleak unless urgent remedial action is taken to reverse the trend.
It is against this backdrop that this study is strongly being pursued.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The present structure of JSSC Business studies examination in Enugu state secondary school system manifest some inadequacies.
It does not allow all the integrated subject components of Business studies to be evaluated adequately as students always avoid some subjects mostly typewriting and shorthand in the JSC Examinations.
In the words of Osuala (2004), almost all the schools usually attempt questions from office practice, commerce, and Book-keeping, leaving typewriting and shorthand which are the pre-vocational subjects. This is opposed to the objectives of the National Policy on Education with respect to Business Studies.
Other problems are that most students lack the foundation knowledge of and are not prepared to pursue shorthand and typewriting at the senior secondary school level including university possibly, because the examination structure is too skeletal and does not cover Business studies syllabus. For example, typewriting theory is taken without the corresponding practical much the same way shorthand theory is taken without dictation.
Above all, because these two areas of business studies are neglected which is mainly encouraged by the structure of JSC examination, construction of typing pool for the teaching of typewriting and shorthand, provision of employment, as well as employment and motivation of Business Education teacher in schools by government hitherto continued to be elusive.
Since the structure of JSC Business studies examination affects the evaluation of the subject, and since typewriting and shorthand are very important field of study, there is need for us therefore to inquire through Business Education teachers to find out why the state government adopted the examination policy in which students tends to concentrate on doing office practice, commerce, and Book-keeping neglecting Typewriting and shorthand with regard to the present structure of JSS Business studies examination in Enugu State.
The central focus of the study therefore is to probe Business Education teachers perceptions regarding the structure of JSC Business studies examination in Enugu urban.
1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The purpose of the study is
a. To ascertain how the current structure of JSC examination has help in attaining the objectives of Teaching Business studies at the Junior Secondary school in Enugu urban.
b. To find out Business Education Teachers perceptions regarding the structure of JSC Business studies examination in Enugu Urban and whether it contributes to hugh level of enrollment in the area of study.
c. To determine whether the current structure of JSC examination has reduced attention to practical work.
d. To determine whether the present structure of JSC examination, affects the number of teachers employed in the area of study.
e. To find out whether Business Education teachers regards the construct structure of JSC examination as good.
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The study is very significant to us in the following ways.
The study will help us to improve the structure of JSC Business studies examination and to ensure that Business studies curriculum is well implemented, as well as providing all the necessary resource facilities and motivational incentives by all concerned in the running of Enugu State Secondary School System.
1.5 RESEARCH QUESTION
The following research questions will be addressed:
1. How far does the current structure of JSC examination help in attaining the objective of teaching Business studies at the Junior School?
2. Do business education teachers perceive the present structure of JSC examination as having contributed to the high level of enrollment in this area of study?
3. Does the current structure of JSC examination reduce attention to practical work.
4. Do teachers think the present structure of JSC examination affect the number of teachers employed in this area of study?
5. Do business education teachers regard the construct structure of JSC examination as good?
1.6 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS
The following hypothesis guided the study:
Ho: There will be no significant difference between the result of students who took all the five courses in business studies and students who took only three courses in their JSC Business studies Examination.
H1: There will be significant difference between the result of students who took all the five courses in business studies and students who took only three courses in their JSC Business studies examination.
1.7 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The study has been confined to a particular geographical location in the state. The criteria for the choice of location of school to be sampled and the sample size were based on the time at the disposal of the researcher, the ease of accessibility of the school location and financial resources of the researcher at the time of the study.
Therefore the study was confined to Enugu Urban.
1.8 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The study will involve investigations of Business education teachers’ perceptions regarding the structure of JSC Business studies examination in Enugu Urban.
1.9 DEFINITION OF TERMS
EDUCATION: Education is a process of teaching, training and learning especially in schools or colleges, to improve and develop skills (Oxford Advanced Learners dictionary, 2000 6th Edition).
BUSINESS EDUCATION: That aspect of the total educational programme that provides the knowledge, skills, understanding and attitudes needed to perform in the Business world as a producer and/or consumer of goods and services that business offers.
NATIONAL POLICY ON EDUCATION: This is a National plan of action put up by the Federal Government to restructure the educational programme of the country for effective implementation.
PERCEPTION: Opinion of people regarding JSC Business Studies Examination.
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Business Education Teachers’ Perceptions Regarding The Structure Of JSC Business Studies Examination:
Teachers’ perceptions regarding the structure of the Junior School Certificate (JSC) Business Studies examination can vary based on their experiences, perspectives, and the specific curriculum and examination format in their region. However, here are some common factors and considerations that business education teachers might have regarding the structure of the JSC Business Studies examination:
Curriculum Alignment: Teachers may evaluate how well the examination aligns with the prescribed curriculum for JSC Business Studies. They might look for congruence between the content taught in the classroom and the content assessed in the examination.
Content Coverage: Teachers may have opinions about whether the examination adequately covers the essential topics and concepts taught during the academic year. They might highlight any gaps or imbalances in the content coverage.
Question Types: Teachers may analyze the variety of question types included in the examination. This could include multiple-choice questions, short answer questions, essay questions, and case studies. Their perception of the diversity of question types can influence how well they believe the exam assesses students’ knowledge and skills.
Difficulty Level: Teachers may have opinions about the overall difficulty level of the examination. They might consider whether the questions appropriately challenge students at the JSC level or if they are too easy or too difficult.
Assessment of Skills: Business Studies involves not only theoretical knowledge but also practical skills. Teachers may assess whether the examination adequately tests students’ ability to apply their knowledge to real-world business scenarios.
Time Allocation: Teachers may provide feedback on the time allocated for the examination. They might discuss whether students have enough time to complete the paper comfortably or if time constraints lead to rushed answers.
Assessment Objectives: Teachers may consider whether the examination aligns with the broader educational objectives, such as promoting critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills.
Feedback and Improvement: Teachers’ perceptions may be influenced by their experience with previous examinations. They may provide suggestions for improving the structure of the examination, such as offering more constructive feedback to students.
Fairness and Equity: Teachers may also consider the fairness and equity of the examination. They might assess whether it provides an equal opportunity for all students, including those from diverse backgrounds or with varying learning needs.
Preparation Strategies: Teachers might discuss strategies for preparing students effectively for the Business Studies examination, including recommended study materials, practice exams, and revision techniques.
It’s important to note that teachers’ perceptions can vary widely, and their feedback can be valuable for educational authorities and policymakers when designing or revising examination structures. Additionally, the structure of the JSC Business Studies examination may differ from one region to another, so teachers’ perceptions can also be influenced by local variations in the curriculum and assessment practices.