CHALLENGES OF BUSINESS STUDIES CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTION TOWARDS SKILL ACQUISITION AT UPPER BASIC LEVEL IN PORT HARCOURT LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, RIVERS STATE

Abstract

The study investigated the constraints to implementing skill acquisition in Business studies curriculum of upper basic level education in Port Harcourt Local Government Area (PHALGA) of Rivers. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. Three research questions and three hypotheses guided the study. The study population comprised of 130 Business Studies teachers drawn from public and private junior secondary schools in Port Harcourt local government Area. The entire population was studied due to its manageable size. Instrument for data collection was a 21-item structured questionnaire titled “Questionnaire on Challenges of Implementing Skill Acquisition in Business studies curriculum (QCISABSC)” developed on a 4-point rating scale by the researcher and duly validated by experts in the field. The reliability coefficient of 0.75 was determined using the Cronbach Alpha method. The mean and standard deviation was employed in answering the research questions while z-test was used in testing the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. Findings from the study revealed allocation of subjects to non- professionals, large class size, inadequate training/re-training for teachers, poor administrative style of principals, use of inappropriate teaching methods, students’ lack of interest, inadequate time for practical as administrative challenges. Findings also revealed that the implementation of skill acquisition in business studies curriculum is constrained by economic factors such as inadequate funding, inadequate instructional materials, poor teacher’s salary, parents’ socio-economic status among others. Based on the findings, it was concluded that skill acquisition in Business Studies at the upper basic level of education is constrained by administrative and economic challenges arising from ineffective curriculum implementation. The study recommended among others that upper basic level education should be well funded, adequate learning facilities should be provided, class sizes should be manageable for effective teaching and learning, and adequate time for practical to reinforce learning should be provided.

Keywords: Business Studies; Challenges; Skill Acquisition; implementation; Upper Basic Level