ACCOUNTING SKILLS REQUIRED BY BUSINESS EDUCATION GRADUATES FOR SUSTAINABLE ENTREPRENEURSHIP

 
The major purpose of the study was to determine the accounting skills required by Business Education graduates for sustainable entrepreneurship in Enugu State, Nigeria. Five research questions and five null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. Descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. Four hundred and fifty four (454) business education lecturers and graduates in entrepreneurship businesses in Enugu state under Small and Medium Scale enterprises (SMEs) form the population of the study. While two hundred and forty six (246) business education lecturers and graduates in entrepreneurship businesses in Enugu state under Small and Medium Scale enterprises (SMEs) form the sample, made up of 224 graduates and 22 lecturers. A questionnaire on accounting skills required of business education graduates was used for the study. The reliability of the instrument was gotten using Cronbach Alpha formula with overall reliability index of 0.76 gotten. Mean and standard deviation was used to answer the research questions and t-test was used to test the null hypotheses. Findings revealed that the accounting skills required by business education graduates are in the area of stocktaking, profit and loss account, bank statement reconciliation, balance sheet and computer based accounting skills. Finally, it was recommended among others, that in-services training should be provided to graduates of business education so as to enable them acquire the skills for sustainable entrepreneurship venture to be achieved.
 
Business education is a type of education that gives skills for business rated occupations. Business education trains learners or provides learners with information or competencies needed by all in the management of personal business affairs. However, Business Education according to the American Vocational Association in Osuala (2004) is a programme of instruction which consists of two parts: the first part is office education; a programme for office careers through initial refresher and upgrading education, leading to employment and advancement in office occupation. The second part is general business education; a programme to provides students with information and competencies which are needed by all in managing personal business affairs and in using the services of the business world.
Business education is the sum total of human activities directed towards providing and acquiring specialist knowledge, skills and attitude that are required for successful promotion of business enterprise (Osuala, 2004). Anao (2006) defined business education as an educational process or content which has its primary aim as the preparation of people for roles in business enterprise. Two major specific objectives of business education are the preparation of learners.