ACCOUNTING SKILLS ACQUISITION AMONGBUSINESS EDUCATION STUDENTS: PANACEA FOR POVERTY REDUCTION IN OYO STATE, NIGERIA

Hassan Tolani Agboola & Araoye Adeola

Abstract

This paper examined accounting skills acquisition among business education students: panacea for poverty reduction in Oyo State, Nigeria. The study adopted descriptive survey research design. It was guided by two research questions. The population of the study comprised 2,400 final year students in tertiary institutions of Oyo State Offering Business Education Programme and 10% representing 240 respondents form the sample size for the study. A self-structured questionnaire titled: Accounting Skills Acquisition among Undergraduates for sustainable Development Questionnaire validated by three (3) senior lecturers was used for data collection. The internal consistency of the instrument was established using Cronbach Alpha and co-efficient of .80 was obtained. The research questions were answered using mean and standard deviation. The findings showed among others that ability to: keep up to date credit sales records, demonstrate simple budgeting, undertake basic steps in starting a business, implement plans for goal attainment, take risks and independent actions, take appropriate decisions when necessary, evaluate business activities and others are the benefits of accounting education skills required for successful business operation by business education graduates. Based on the finding the study recommended among others that lecturers should re-dedicate themselves by attending more workshops, seminars to acquaint themselves with accounting education skills so that they can in turn, impart same in the students and that Business Education students should be made to acquire accounting skills so as to contribute meaningfully to the economy of the country for poverty reduction.