CHALLENGES OF EFFECTIVE TEACHING AND LEARNING OF BUSINESS STUDIES IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS

CHALLENGES OF EFFECTIVE TEACHING AND LEARNING OF BUSINESS STUDIES IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS

Background of the study

Education, according to Whitehead (2022), is the process through which society's cultural norms and values are passed down from one generation to the next.

According to the same point of view, Atwater and Yammarino (2022) defined education as the collection of all the processes by which an individual cultivates abilities, attitudes, and forms of behaviour that are deemed to be of positive value in the society in which he lives.

Formal education, informal education, and non-formal education are all valid perspectives from which to examine education. Only via classroom instruction is it possible to achieve a complete education. The majority of one's education can be obtained from sources outside than the traditional classroom setting. The house, other people's companies, travel, and other experiences outside of the classroom are examples of such sources (Atwater, & Yammarino, 2022).

Formal education refers to any type of teaching-learning process that follows a standard, well-established, and consistent organisation and pattern. This type of education can take many different forms. To put it more plainly, formal education is synonymous with schooling. Formal education is distinct from informal education in that it possesses control, a curriculum, regular financing, staffing, and evaluation of examinations (Federal Republic of Nigeria 2022).

A component of socialisation is the instruction in the use of information. This refers to the process of assimilating individual members of a society into the structured way of life and long-standing customs of that community.

Informal education starts when children are very young and continues throughout a person's entire life. Informal education, in contrast to formal education, does not have a set curriculum, legislation, teaching methods, control mechanism, evaluation systems, or staff members that have received specialised training. The education process can be carried out informally by schools, parents, peers, and the media. The majority of learning takes place through social interaction with other people in a specific environment (Isangedighi, 2022).

The acquisition of knowledge and abilities through settings other than conventional educational institutions is referred to as non-formal education. Non-formal education is also capable of being carefully planned, staffed, and funded, just like formal education.

Education in business is included in the larger category of formal and non-formal education as a subset known as specialised education (Atwater, & Yammarino, 2022).

It should be noted that in Nigeria, commercial subject, business education, and business studies all refer to the same thing. Regardless of what term one chooses to use to refer to it, it is included in the vocational and technical education curriculum of the Nigerian school system, which is organised according to the 6-3-3-4 system as outlined in the national policy on education 1977 revised 1981. This information is necessary for a proper understanding of the researcher's discussion presented in this paper. Within the pre-vocational set of disciplines, business studies is typically treated as its own distinct discipline.

According to Nanassy (2003), business education is a component of a comprehensive education that equips students with the competencies, information, attitudes, and values essential to enter a variety of occupational fields.

Atwater and Yammarino (2022) defined business education as education for business as well as training in business skills, both of which are required for use in business offices and clerical occupations as well as business policy analysis. Business education can also be defined as education for business.

Because the beginnings of formal education in this country paid no attention whatsoever to business education, business education got off to a sluggish start in Nigeria and has progressed at a pace that is far slower than that of other types of education.

Even when attempts were made to identify it, the image that was portrayed was quite terrible at it since the general public perceived it as an education meant for those who were handicapped, dropped out of school, never did well, and were psychologically maladjusted (Federal Republic of Nigeria 2022).

The colonial masters in Nigeria are credited with initiating the concept of business education as early as the year 1882. Their education was limited to the knowledge and skills necessary to achieve these goals, such as filling out forms and typing, because the primary objective was to have people interpret the terrifying book that is known as the Bible. Another objective was to have people work as clerks and interpreters of the Holy Book (Isangedighi, 2022).

Approximately in the year 1930, a clerical training centre was established in Oshogbo, which was located in the former western Region and is now a part of the state of Osun. This was the beginning of training in vocation business studies, which would later become known as commercial education. The clerical officers that were so much needed at the time to fill jobs in the office were the focus of the training that was provided at the centre.

By the year 1955, the western region had seen the establishment of a large number of commercial secondary schools, in which subjects such as shorthand, typing, and various business procedures were among those that were taught (Isangedighi, 2022).

The Ashby report was the first place that the awareness and impact of business education to the economy was mentioned. The Ashby commission in its report in 1960 noted the imbalance in our educational system and shortage of calibre of workers in our industries and offices. The report also mentioned the importance of business education. After that, he proposed the introduction of business classes into the curriculum of the schools, which would contain a variety of topics. Three languages: English, shorthand, and typing. In addition, the report made the recommendation that post-secondary general commercial education be made available at technical institutes on a full-time basis. After that, it was claimed that the purpose of this was to teach stenographers and junior clerks for the purpose of up-grading to more responsible posts (Atwater, & Yammarino, 2022).

 

Later, in 1969, curriculum conferences gave respect to business education as an essential topic of study in an expanding industrial economy. This acknowledgment came about as a result of the need for business education. Following the recommendation made at the curriculum conference, new business education curricula were developed in Nigeria. These new curricula were implemented throughout all levels of education, from elementary to secondary technical to university. The new strategy will have a significant effect on the growth of vocational business education; for instance, business studies will be reclassified as a topic that falls under the pre-vocational category.

At the junior secondary level, business studies are taught as an integrated topic, which encompasses all of the vocational business fields. These areas comprise five fundamental subjects: bookkeeping, commerce, office practise, shorthand, and typewriting (Federal Republic of Nigeria 2022).

At the level of senior secondary school, on the other hand, business topics are permitted to function independently as their own distinct subjects. In this point, students begin to move toward a career option, which they will most likely continue pursuing either at a college of technology or polytechnic for higher professional training or at a university for additional academic study.

The primary goal of business education is to prepare students for whichever career path they ultimately decide to pursue (pre –vocational training).

At the junior secondary level, the new business curriculum is expected to:

1. Provide the students an introductory material to be covered at a higher level.

2. Build a strong background and help create attitudes towards a selected career option:

3. Help the students develop attitude towards a particular profession and plan for a future career in business

Looking at these objectives, we can therefore observe that the emphasis is laid on primary need for business education for the preparation of students to enter into the business world and to participate actively as producers and or as consumers of goods and service by business.

For these objective to be achieved the business teachers must be effective in the teaching and learning of business studies.

Therefore, for any teaching to be effective both teacher and learner must work in an atmosphere of mutual respect and trust.

Uge (2000) states that a successful or effective teaching should be guided by certain principle. Such as

1. Learning is an active process in which the learner must involve.  That is learning is more effective if the learners participate in whatever learning experiences the teacher has chosen.

2. Keen awareness of objectives will sustain interest encourage perseverance. Objective should be clearly stated. The purpose of every teaching is to bring about changes in behaviour; that is to bring learning whatever methods a teacher adopt must awaken desire, stimulate purpose, direct thought and action towards some objectives.

3. The life of the students must serve as a starting point. That is the learning should start from know to the unknown, from simple to complex or from the familiar to the unfamiliar.

4. Teaching aids promote learning. The teacher should endeavor to provide make appropriate use of suitable audio – visual aids. Free use of chalkboard is of immense value. Teacher should make use of illustration; this does not refer only to pictorial images. It includes explanation conveyed through suitable words.

In Mainland Local Government, here are the 8 sample secondary schools. Namely:-

1. Aje Comprehensive Secondary

2. Akoka High School Yaba

3. Birrel Avenue

4. Eletu Odibo Secondary School

5. Herbert McCaulay

6. Lagos City College Sabo Yaba

7. Mobolaji Bank Anthony Secondary School

8. Western College Secondary School

In Mainland Local Government Area of Lagos State, the teaching and learning of business studies has not begins effective, that is why the researcher took interest in investigating the root cause of ineffective teaching and learning of Business Education.

Statement of the Problem

The National Policy on Education (1981), it is stated that the end of Junior Secondary School, the business studies students must have acquired basic knowledge and develop skills which enable them to further their education to senior secondary school stage so as to complete their six –year secondary education while others expected to go out into the world of work and be employed or self –employed (Federal Republic of Nigeria 2022).

The new system aims at minimizing the problem of unemployment and idle school drop – outs. But these well planned programme has been difficult to achieve its aim because of lack of qualify teachers in business education. Other reasons include that the age at which the students complete their Junior Secondary School is tender. They are not exposed to the world of work and can hardly survive in the world of work. There is no adequate time allocated for the teaching of business studies in the school’s timetable (Atwater, & Yammarino, 2022).

Also, there are wrong methods of teaching business studies whereby the students end up learning more theory than practical and this hinders acquisition of adequate skill needed. Lack of sustained interest on the part of the students especially in shorthand, lack if adequate office equipment like typewriters, duplicating machines, photocopiers etc. there is also population explosion in our secondary schools, which invariably leads to classroom overcrowdness (Atwater, & Yammarino, 2022). These and other problems have made the teaching and learning of business studies to be ineffective as far as acquisition of technological skills is concerned.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study was to ascertain the the challenges of effective teaching and learning of business studies in secondary schools. Specifically the study is to:

1. Examine the educational and professional qualifications needed by teachers to excel.

2. Determine the number of periods allocated to business studies on the school timetable.

3. Examine the teaching aids and textbooks use by teachers and students to facilitate the learning and teaching of business studies.

4. Ascertain the adequacy of materials and equipments for the teaching of business studies.

5. Examine the availability of functional libraries.

Significance of the Study

The study is essential for the students, the teachers, the schools, colleges and the ministry of education on how to improve the standard of business education subjects as it affects the secondary schools in Mainland Local Government Area of Lagos State. Specifically the study:

Enable the students to have positive attitude towards business studies and put more effort in the learning of business studies so as to improve their performance.

It provides the teachers with the necessary ingredients needed for them in order to make the teaching and learning of business studies effectives.

It will enable the school to give the necessary supports such as provision of fund for the effective teaching and learning of business studies.

Finally, it also enables the ministry of education to provide adequate, and relevant instructional text materials for effective instruction in business studies.

Research Question

Business studies which provide the students the basic knowledge and skills that will enable them to further their education to Secondary Schools has not been effectively taught in Junior Secondary Schools in Mainland Local Government Area of Lagos State. And this has led to question such as:

1. What are the qualifications required by teachers of business studies.

2. To what extent are the periods allocated to business studies adequate?

3. What are the teaching aids and textbooks needed to facilitate the teaching and learning of business studies?

4. What are the materials and equipment needed for the teaching of business of business studies?

Limitation of the Study

This research work will be limited to business studies students in secondary school in lagos state.

Definition of Important terms

1.Business studies: Business studies  is  a  systematic  process  of  communicating  business  transactions  and  events  to interested  parties

2.Academic: The achievement of student as a result the teaching and learning process in the classroom situation.

Performance: the act of carrying out a task or action. A task or action that has been accomplished or done by somebody.

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