COLLEGESOFEDUCATIONSTUDENTS’PERCEPTIONOFINFLUENCEOFBUSINESSEDUCATIONCURRICULUMONACQUISITIONOFACCOUNTINGANDENTREPRENEURSHIPSKILLS FORSELF-RELIANCE

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine the colleges of education students’ perceptions of influence of business
education curriculum on acquisition of accounting and entrepreneurship skills for self-reliance. The study was
guided by two research objectives, research questions and null hypotheses. The population of the study
comprised all the 216 students who registered in 2023/2024 academic session at the Department of Business
education, Federal Capital Territory College of Education, Zuba-Abuja. A sample size of 180 respondents was
randomly selected for the study. The data used in the study were collected using a 19-items, self-designed,
structured, four-point rating scale questionnaire tagged “Students’ Perception of Influence of Business
Education Curriculum on Acquisition of Accounting and Entrepreneurship Skills for Self-reliance
Questionnaire” (SPIBECAACESSQ) which was validated by three experts and subjected to a pilot study using
test re-test reliability. The result of the pilot study gave rise to reliability coefficient of 0.75 which was realised
through Spearman-Brown formular and considered to be appropriate for research purpose. The instrument was
administered on all the respondents but only 90% (180) were returned and used for the data analysis. The
research questions were answered using mean scores and standard deviation, while the null hypotheses were
tested using z-test at 0.05 level of significance. The decision rule was that any item or weighted mean whose
mean score was ≥ 2.50 would be accepted and rejected if otherwise. In addition to these, any null hypothesis
whose calculated value of z was greater than the table value would be rejected and vice versa. The findings of
the study revealed that the students were of the perception that business education curriculum leads to
acquisition of accounting and entrepreneurship skills for self-reliance. The findings also showed that there were
significant differences between the perceptions of male and female students regarding the influence of business
education curriculum on acquisition of accounting and entrepreneurship skills for self-reliance. The study
concluded that accounting and entrepreneurship skills could solve some of the social problem bedeviling the
society, make the recipients to be independent, take positive steps, be productively engaged in economic
activities and enhance sustainable development in the society. As a way forward, the study among others
recommended that modern technologies should be used in teaching accounting education, students of
accounting and entrepreneurship education should only be allowed to do their Student Industrial Work
Experience Scheme (SIWES) in organisations that are related to their courses of study, only specialists should
be allowed to teach the courses and students with sound business plans should be given financial assistance by
the government, NGOs and philanthropists.