Vol. 10(7), pp.

54-60, November 2018

DOI: 10.5897/IJVTE2018.0248
Article Number: EFA41DD59211
Copyright ©2018
Author(s) retain the copyright of this article
International Journal of Vocational and
[Link] Technical Education

Full Length Research Paper

An evaluation of equipment for the teaching and

learning of Business Studies in Public Junior
Secondary Schools in Enugu State
Emeasoba Nneka Charity
Department of Educational Management, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike,
Abia State, Nigeria.
Received 9 April, 2018; Accepted 3 October, 2018

This study seeks to evaluate the equipment for teaching of business studies in Public Junior Secondary
Schools in Enugu North Local Government Area. It adopts the survey design. Two research questions
and one hypothesis tested at 0.05 level of significance were used. Population and sample consisted of
82 business studies teachers and principals. A validated questionnaire with coefficients of 0.86 and
0.90 was used for data collection. Mean, standard deviation and z-test were used for analysis. Findings
showed that business studies equipment needed for effective teaching and learning of business
studies are mostly not available, the available ones are grossly inadequate in most schools. Gender has
no significant effect in the respondents mean ratings on the adequacy of equipment for teaching of
business studies. The researcher concludes that students will acquire more theoretical knowledge than
the practical skills required of them since the equipment that will be used for hands-on experience are
not available. Based on the findings and conclusion, it is recommended, among others, that the state
government should make provision for the supply of business studies equipment to the schools.
Parents Teachers Association should assist in the provision of some of these equipment needed for the
teaching and learning of business studies.

Key words: Evaluation, equipment, business studies, Junior Secondary Schools.

INTRODUCTION

The ultimate aim of education is to bring about desirable graduation, acquisition of appropriate skills that could be
goals and outcome for sound education. The quality of transformed to economic, social, physical and mental
education an individual receives determines the extent of competencies and contribute to the development of the
his usefulness to himself and the nation at large. Nigeria nation (Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2012).
today is experiencing mass unemployment rate unlike in In line with these, Business education which is escribed
the past when people are employed on graduation. In an as an education for business and about business could
attempt to find a lasting solution to this unemployment make a person to acquire skills for social and economic
saga there has been a series of review of educational transformation. With the introduction of the 6-3-3-4 stem
policies aimed at job creation, self-employment after of education (now 9-3-4), Business Studies at the

E-mail: nnekaemeasoba@[Link].

Author(s) agree that this article remain permanently open access under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution
License 4.0 International License
 Emeasoba 55

Junior Secondary School gained prominence. It is aimed knowledge, skills, understandings and other attitudes
at making education more functional. At the Junior needed to perform well in the world of business as
Secondary School level, Business Studies include the providers and/or consumers of goods and services that
following subjects: typewriting, shorthand, book-keeping, business offer. Okoro (2015) noted that business
office practice and commerce (FRN,2012). These education is a type of education that assists individual to
business subjects consist of skill and non-skill business acquire skills, which they can apply to solve problems in
subjects. business and office occupations.
The Comparative Education Study and Adaptation Equipment of any course of study constitutes one of the
Centre (CESAC) revised 2007 listed the general principal determinants of the competence of the
objectives of Business Studies as follows: graduates. Provision of equipment and other teaching
and learning materials is of paramount importance in
-Provide the orientation and basic skills with which to teaching/learning of business studies. It is only when
start an occupation for those who will not go for further these needed equipment are provided that the products
training. will become proficient in the world of work, through the
-Provide basic business skills for personal use now and acquired skills, without being re-trained by the employers
in the future. of labour. When the necessary equipment for teaching
-Prepare students for further training in Business Studies. and learning of Business Studies are not provided,
-Relate the knowledge and skills to the national economy. teaching and learning become theoretical and ineffective.
-Develop basic skills in office occupation. Esene and Ohiwerei (2005) defined equipment as
business appliances or office type machines that we use
Topics under each theme were analyzed to enable the in teaching and practice of business subjects. These
learner start from simple to complex and so include typewriters, computers, dictating machines,
encompassing and robust in preparing the student better stencil duplicators, telephone, filing cabinets, etc.
for a reform-driven environment and business world. Provision of equipment for the teaching and learning of
Educational evaluation is a method to prove whether Business Studies is a necessity. The knowledge and
the expectations and aims of educational process reflect skills acquired are expected to prepare the learners to
reality. It is used to obtain information which is used to acquire basic practical knowledge required to function
draw conclusions which assist in decision making. It is an well in the society or progress successfully in their
on-going process which includes researching and education. The classroom is expected to prepare
collecting information from different sources about the students for the office through adequate, practically
learning process, about the content of a programme, oriented training with the use of various equipment as
about the method, the context, and the outcomes of an instructional materials.
educational activity. Based on the evaluation one can
draw conclusion and recommendations. Evaluation is the
process of making value judgments on the basis of Statement of the problem
pertinent information that can be gathered about any
significant aspect of the educational programme. The introduction of business subjects at the Junior
Evaluation in Business Education is to make value Secondary School levels in Nigeria is principally aimed at
judgment on the adequacy or otherwise of a business equipping the students with skills that will make them
education programme. Oluwodun (2010) described employable in the world of work (Esene, 2001). In order
evaluation as a process or cluster of processes enacted to achieve the objectives of Business Studies at this
to provide data so that decision can be made as to level, the Junior Secondary School curriculum listed
whether something should be accepted or changed, some equipment that will aid in the impartation of these
modified or eliminated. Evaluation is designed to equip skills to the students. However, some scholars have
students with the necessary skills and competencies noted that the objectives of business studies cannot be
required to learn in the learning environment. Evaluation achieved without the adequacy of these equipment. Due
is a systematic and continuous process of assessing the to poor performance of students, some scholars have
contents, learning experiences and instructional attributed that to non-equipment. Akume and Miller
objectives (Dabbari and Ibe, 2012). Enwemasor (2016) (2009) noted that inadequate provision of equipment in
defined business education as a part of vocational our secondary schools have negative effect on the
education that prepares individuals for gainful academic performance of the students. Oladeji and
employment through the acquisition of skills and Ojewale (2011) noted that some of our secondary
knowledge that prepare individuals for the world of schools are not provided with equipment and this resulted
business. Ijarshar and Ayidiowu (2015) saw business to poor preparation and delivery of lessons by teachers.
education as a fundamental theory of business which The worry of the study is the poor performance of junior
helps an individual to perform well in the world of secondary school business studies students in both
business. It is that aspect of education that provides the internal and external examinations. There is need to
56 Int. J. Voc. Tech. Educ.

evaluate the equipment for the teaching of these subjects the study. The arithmetic mean and standard deviation were used
in line with the curriculum. These and other issues form to analyze data to answer the research questions and establish the
homogeneity or otherwise of the respondents’ means while z-test
the basis for this study. was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance.
A mean rating that is equal to or greater than 2.5 would be
regarded as available and adequate while any item with a mean
Purpose of the study rating that is less than 2.5 would be regarded as not available and
not adequate. A hypothesis will be upheld if the calculated value is
The main purpose of this study is to evaluate the less than the significant level of 0.05 and rejected if the calculated
value is equal or greater than the significant level of 0.05.
equipment for the teaching and learning of Business
Studies at Junior Secondary Schools. Specifically, this
study sought to: Research Question 1

1. Ascertain the physical equipment available for the To what extent are the equipment available for the teaching and
learning of Business Studies in the Junior Secondary Schools.
teaching and learning of Business Studies in the Junior
Data in Table 1 show that eleven equipment have mean scores
Secondary Schools. ranging from 2.50 to 3.50 meaning that the respondents noted that
2. Determine the adequacy of the equipment as required these equipment are available in the school for teaching and
from the curriculum. learning of Business Studies. The rest with mean scores between
1.4 and 2.4 indicate that the respondents noted that the equipment
were not available The grand mean score of 2.00 indicate that,
generally, the respondents noted that the equipment for the
Research question
teaching and learning of Business Studies are not available in their
respective schools. The standard deviation scores indicate that the
1. Are the equipment available for the teaching and respondents were homogenous in their assessment.
learning of Business Studies in the Junior Secondary
Schools.
2. To what extent are the equipment adequate for the Research Question 2
teaching and learning of Business Studies in the Junior To what extent were the equipment adequate for the teaching and
Secondary Schools as required by the curriculum. learning of business studies in the Junior Secondary Schools.
Data in Table 2 showed that seven equipment have mean scores
ranging from 2.50 to 3.50 which means that the respondents noted
Hypothesis one that these equipment are adequate in the school for teaching and
learning of Business Studies. The rest with mean scores between
1.4 and 2.4 indicated that the respondents noted that the equipment
1. There is no significant difference between the male were not adequate. The grand mean score of 2.00 indicates that,
and female teachers on the adequacy of equipment in the generally, the respondents noted that the equipment for the
Junior Secondary Schools in Enugu North LGA. teaching and learning of business studies are not adequate in their
respective schools. The standard deviation scores indicate that the
respondents were homogenous in their assessment.
METHODOLOGY

The design of the study is a descriptive survey as recommended by Hypothesis

Nworgu (2006) for studies that seek opinion of a population or its
representative sample on an existing phenomenon using 1. There is no significant difference between the male and female
questionnaire or interview. The study was conducted in Junior teachers on the adequacy of physical equipment in the Junior
Secondary Schools in Enugu North LGA of Enugu State Nigeria. Secondary Schools in Enugu North LGA.
The area comprises of fourteen (14) public secondary schools,
which are located at: Trans-Ekulu, Abakpa Nike, Enugu Town, To test the hypothesis, the z-values of the two groups of
G.R.A., and Independence Layout. The entire population was respondents were computed at 0.05 level of significance. The result
studied without sampling because the size is not too large. A of the computation is shown in Table 3.
validated 5-point rating scale questionnaire with 54 items was used Result in Table 3 showed that with 102 degrees of freedom and
for the study. The reliability of the instrument was determined with testing at 0.05 level, the critical z-value of 2.0 is more than the z-
the split half method. The instrument was administered to 20 calculated value of 0.38. This means that no significant difference
Business Studies teachers in Annunciation Secondary School in existed between male and female respondents on the adequacy of
Enugu East and the data collected were analyzed with the equipment in Junior secondary schools in Enugu North LGA. The
Spearman Rank Order Correlation Coefficient formula to determine hypothesis was, therefore, upheld.
the relationship between the two scores and the reliability
coefficients of 0.86 and 0.90 were obtained for the two sections of
the instrument which indicated that the instrument was reliable. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Copies of the questionnaire were administered directly by the
researcher. Contacts were established with the Heads of
The result of the data analysis revealed that the Business
Department to know when to re-visit the institutions to retrieve the
completed instrument. This procedure ensured careful completion Studies’ equipment needed for the effective teaching and
of the instrument by the respondents as well as a high response learning of Business Studies at the Junior Secondary
rate as 80 copies (representing 98%) were retrieved and used for Schools are mostly not available and even the few
 Emeasoba 57

Table 1. Mean and standard deviation of respondents on the extent of availability of equipment for the teaching and learning of business
studies in the Junior Secondary Schools (N = 80).

Availability of equipment for the teaching and learning of Business

S/N Mean SD Remarks
Studies in Junior Secondary Schools
1 Typing room 3.0 1.2 Available
2 Domwell desks 2.2 0.8 Not available
3 Swivel typing chairs 1.8 0.5 Not available
4 Typewriters 2.2 0.8 Not available
5 Ink duplicating machine 2.4 0.8 Not available
6 Photocopier 1.9 0.4 Not available
7 Filling cabinet 1.9 0.4 Not available
8 Stapling machine 2.0 0.6 Not available
9 Perforator 2.2 0.8 Not available
10 Guillotine 1.8 0.3 Not available
11 Stop watches 1.8 0.3 Not available
12 Tape recorder 2.0 0.8 Not available
13 Alarm clock 2.0 0.8 Not available
14 Bulletin boards 2.0 0.8 Not available
15 Adding/Listing machine 2.2 0.8 Not available
16 Punch 2.0 0.8 Not available
17 Incoming register 2.2 0.8 Not available
18 Dispatch book 2.2 0.8 Not available
19 Visitor’s book 2.2 0.6 Not available
20 Telephone message pad 2.2 0.6 Not available
21 Request form booklet 2.4 0.8 Not available
22 Store record book 2.5 1.0 Available
23 Postage book 2.0 0.6 Not available
24 Shorthand pens 2.0 0.8 Not available
25 Chalkboard 3.5 1.5 Available
26 Sound tapes/cassettes 2.0 0.8 Not available
27 Shorthand note books 2.0 0.8 Not available
28 File Jackets 3.0 1.0 Available
29 Carbon paper 3.0 1.0 Available
30 Reams of plain typing sheets 3.2 1.4 Available
31 Filmsies for carbon copies 2.2 0.8 Not available
32 Typewriter eraser 3.0 1.0 Available
33 File tags 3.5 1.6 Available
34 Booklets of ruled Ledger sheets 2.0 0.6 Not available
35 Analysis sheets for trial balancing 1.8 0.2 Not available
36 Duplication paper 1.8 0.2 Not available
37 Typing papers 2.0 0.6 Not available
38 Business document specimen 2.2 0.8 Not available
39 Stencil 2.2 0.8 Not available
40 Computer 2.2 0.8 Not available
41 Charts of shorthand outlines 3.0 1.4 Available
42 Liquid correction fluid 2.2 0.8 Not available
43 Newspapers 3.0 1.0 Available
44 Films 2.1 0.6 Not available
45 Posters 2.2 0.8 Not available
46 Cartoons 1.8 0.2 Not available
47 Calculator 1.8 0.2 Not available
48 Magazines 2.0 0.4 Not available
49 Radio 2.0 0.6 Not available
58 Int. J. Voc. Tech. Educ.

Table 1. Cont’d.

50 Television 2.0 0.6 Not available

51 Printers 2.2 0.8 Not available
52 Fax machine 1.8 0.4 Not available
53 Books 2.5 0.9 Available
54 Account Ledgers 2.0 0.8 Not Available
- Grand Mean 2.2 1.4 Not Available

Table 2. Mean and standard deviation of respondents on the adequacy of the equipment for the teaching and learning of business studies
in the Junior Secondary Schools (N = 80).

Adequacy of the equipment for the teaching and learning of Business

S/N Mean SD Remarks
Studies in Junior Secondary Schools
1 Typing room 3.0 1.2 Adequate
2 Domwell desks 2.0 0.6 Not Adequate
3 Swivel typing chairs 1.8 0.5 -
4 Typewriters 2.2 0.8 -
5 Ink duplicating machine 2.2 0.8 -
6 Photocopier 1.8 0.4 -
7 Filling cabinet 1.6 0.2 -
8 Stapling machine 2.0 0.6 -
9 Perforator 2.2 0.8 -
10 Guillotine 1.8 0.3 -
11 Stop watches 1.6 0.4 -
12 Tape recorder 1.8 0.6 -
13 Alarm clock 2.0 0.8 -
14 Bulletin boards 2.0 0.8 -
15 Adding/Listing machine 2.4 2.1 -
16 Punch 2.0 0.8 -
17 Incoming register 2.4 2.1 -
18 Dispatch book 2.2 0.8 -
19 Visitor’s book 2.2 0.6 -
20 Telephone message pad 2.2 0.6 -
21 Request form booklet 2.4 0.8 -
22 Store record book 2.5 1.0 -
23 Postage book 2.0 0.6 -
24 Shorthand pens 2.0 0.8 -
25 Chalkboard 3.0 1.5 Adequate
26 Sound tapes/cassettes 2.2 1.4 Not adequate
27 Shorthand note books 2.0 0.8 -
28 File jackets 3.2 1.0 Adequate
29 Carbon paper 3.0 1.0 Adequate
30 Reams of plain typing sheets 3.0 1.4 Adequate
31 Filmsies for carbon copies 2.2 0.8 Not adequate
32 Typewriter eraser 3.0 1.0 Adequate
33 File tags 3.5 1.6 Adequate
34 Booklets of ruled ledger sheets 2.0 0.6 Not adequate
35 Analysis sheets for trial balancing 1.8 0.2 -
36 Duplication paper 1.8 0.2 -
37 Typing papers 2.0 0.6 -
38 Business document specimen 2.0 0.8 -
39 Stencil 2.2 0.8 -
 Emeasoba 59

Table 2. Cont’d.

40 Computer 2..4 0.8 -

41 Charts of shorthand outlines 2.0 1.4 -
42 Liquid correction fluid 2.2 0.8 -
43 Newspapers 3.0 1.0 Adequate
44 Films 2.1 0.6 Not adequate
45 Posters 2.2 0.8 -
46 Cartoons 1.8 0.2 -
47 Calculator 1.8 0.2 -
48 Magazines 2.0 0.4 -
49 Radio 2.0 0.6 -
50 Television 2.0 0.6 -
51 Printers 2.2 0.8 -
52 Fax machine 1.8 0.4 -
53 Books 2.5 0.9 -
54 Account ledgers 2.0 0.08 Not Adequate
Grand mean 2.00 1.2 Not Adequate

Table 3. z-test analysis of the difference between respondents’ mean ratings on the adequacy of
equipment in the Junior Secondary Schools in Enugu North LGA, based on gender (male and
female).

Gender N X SD z-cal Α Df z-crit Remark

Male 08 2.5 1.82 0.38 0.05 102 2.00 NS
Female 72 2.8 1.82 - - - - -

available ones are grossly inadequate in most schools as Conclusion

required by the curriculum. This shows that the teaching
of business studies are more of theory than practical Based on the findings of the study and the discussion, it
since the equipment that will be used for hands-on is concluded that equipment for the teaching and learning
experience are not there for the students to use. Not of business studies in Enugu North Local Government
even a single school out of the 14 schools had Area as stipulated in the curriculum are grossly
photocopying machine, radio, television, etc. inadequate and unavailable in most schools.
The findings agreed with that of Miller and Akume
(2009) which revealed that business studies equipment
needed for effective teaching and learning of Business
Studies at the Junior Secondary School in Delta State RECOMMENDATIONS
were grossly inadequate and in most cases unavailable
in most schools. This finding disagrees with the studies of Based on the findings and conclusion, the following
Esene and Ohiwerei (2005) which revealed that recommendations are made:
instructional materials and teaching equipment were
available for use in the teaching and learning of business (1) The state government should make provision for the
studies in public secondary schools in Delta South supply of Business Studies’ equipment to the schools,
Senatorial District. where Business Studies are taught for effective teaching
However, the status of equipment in most of the and learning.
secondary schools visited is appalling. Most of the (2) The Parents Teachers Association (P.T.A) should
schools had no electric typewriters, functional computers, also assist in the provision of some of these equipment
television, photocopier, even manual typewriters. In some needed for the teaching and learning of Business
cases, where the equipment are available, they are not Studies.
adequate in relation to the number of students enrolment (3) The obsolete equipment should be replaced or
or not even functional at all. maintained to make teaching interesting and effective.
60 Int. J. Voc. Tech. Educ.

CONFLICT OF INTERESTS Okoro J (2015). Strategies for Enhancing Quality Assurance in

Business Teacher Education Programme in Nigerian Universities.
Journal of Education and Practice 6(12):56.67.
The authors have not declared any conflict of interests. Oladeji AD, Ojewale JA (2011). Role of Business subjects on
entrepreneurial competency of students in secondary schools in Oyo
State. A paper presented at Association of business Educators of
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