BUSINESS TEACHERS PERCEPTION OF EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS REQUIRED FOR SELF-RELIANCE BY BUSINESS STUDIES STUDENTS IN PUBLIC JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN RIVERS STATE

The study investigated the perception of business studies teachers in public junior secondary schools in Rivers State on employability skills required for self-reliance by business studies students. The descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. Two research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. The population for the study was one hundred and twenty Business Studies Teachers drawn from fifteen public junior secondary schools in Port Harcourt Local Government. The instrument used for data collection was a ten item structured questionnaire titled “Business Teachers Perception of Students' Employability Skills Questionnaire” (BTPSESQ). The reliability coefficient of 0.70 was obtained, using the test-retest method and Pearson Moment Correlation Coefficient. The instrument was validated by two experts in Business Education. One hundred and twenty copies of questionnaire were administered. However only ninety-six copies of the questionnaire were retrieved and analysed using mean for the research questions and z-test statistics for the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The study revealed that Office practice skills such as ability to manage information effectively; ability to use office equipment and facilities among others as well as ICT skills such as ability to operate the computer; ability to use internet network; ability and others were identified as required by business studies students for self-reliance. Based on the findings, it was recommended among others that students should be encouraged to explore and harness employment opportunities for self-reliance, the business studies curriculum be periodically reviewed to incorporate identified employability skills, also, that students be exposed to ICT facilities and other facilities for practical skills to enhance the development of the identified skills. Keywords : Employability skills, Business studies, Self-reliance, junior secondary schools