FACTORS INFLUENCING THE ATTITUDE OF FEMALE STUDENTS TO BUSINESS STUDIES
IN ESAN CENTRAL LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF EDO STATE
ABSTRACT
            In the area of business, female tend to have larger numerical strength while relatively few male are known to be highly qualified as business educators. This is also most an accepted view by every male that female should always dominate the field of business education. As a result of this, male students in our institutions of learning have tended to develop every poor attitude to the studies of business education. For instance, majority of male students tend to study art related subjects both in secondary schools and higher institutions of learning than they do in the business education courses. The problems is that this tend of female domination in the business has continued to grow from year to year and it seemed as if it is an accepted phenomenon. It is against this background that this study is intended to investigate the factors which affect the attitude of female students to business subjects.
            To provide focus for the study, five research questions were formulated. Thus,
i.                    What is the attitude of female students to business subjects?
ii.                 What are the factors that influence female students’ attitude towards the study of business subjects?
iii.               Is there any significant relationship between practical lessons and attitude of students in business subjects?
iv.               Has career preference any influence on the attitude of female students towards business subjects.
v.                  Do incompetent business teachers influence the attitude of female students towards business subjects?
The population comprised of all female students from the selected secondary schools in Esan Central local government area of Edo state. The sample was made up of 200 students randomly selected from six secondary schools in Esan Central local government area of Edo state. To answer the formulated questions, a questionnaire of twenty four items was designed and administered to 200 students from six secondary schools in Esan central local government area of Edo state. Data collected from these 200 respondents were analysed by means of simple percentage. And data interpretations were based on the analysis.
In view of the collected and analyzed data, the following findings were made. The attitude of female students towards the study of business subjects in Esan central local government areas of Edo state is high. The availability of materials and textbooks influenced the students have a positive attitude towards the study of business subjects.
TABLE OF CONTENT
Chapter one – introduction          
Background of the study
Statement of problem
Research questions
Purpose of the study
Basic assumption
Significance of study
Delimitation of the study
Limitation of the study   
Definition of terms
Chapter two – Literature Review
-                     Female students attitude to business studies
-                     Sex difference in business achievement
-                     Factors influencing students attitude towards business subjects
-                     Teachers qualification
-                     Parents qualification
-                     Location
Chapter three – Research Methodology
Design of the study
Population of the study
Sample/sampling technique
Instruments
Validity of the questionnaire
Reliability of the instrument
Method of data collection
Method of data analysis
Chapter four            
Analysis, interpretation and discussion of data
Data analysis
Findings relating to research questions
Discussions
Chapter five
Summary, conclusion and recommendation
Summary
Conclusion
Recommendation
Suggestion for further studies
Reference     
Questionnaire
 CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
            Business studies are generally seen to be more theoretical, conceptual and academically more than the new vocationally focused applied business. The applied business course has much practical emphasis. This is in line with the secondary education.
            At the university level in many countries, its study combines accounting, economics, finance, marketing and organizational behaviour. However, these topics are taught somewhat differently depending on which board the examination.
            The study of business took its sound footing right from the beginning of 20th century when curriculum planners and educators developed strong interest in the study of business in schools.
            In Nigeria, senior secondary school, many subjects are being offered among which are business subjects which include commerce, economics, book-keeping, type writing, shorthand and mathematics.
            According to Williams {1986} “the most notable areas of need for improvement is the pedagogical and other related aspects of business education with special reference to females”. She is of the view that females in the world from the ancient time have always been regarded as being inferior to males in all facets of life. According to her, if women are given a chance they can lead the men to achieve great heights.
            In the area of business specialists, educators, women tend to have larger numerical strength while relatively few men are known to be highly qualified as business educators. This is almost an accepted view by every men that women should always dominate the field of business education.
            As a result of the above, female students in our institutions of learning have tended to develop very poor attitude to the studies of business education. It is against this background that this study is intended to investigate the factors, which affect the attitude of female students to business studies.
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
            Business is studied in almost all primary school, secondary school and higher institution of learning. In most cases both males and females are exposed to business education classes. However, it is unfortunate that female students tend to dominate business classes in that more of them enter in for business subjects at the West African school certificate level, consequently, most females left the secondary school as capable hands for further studies in the business. This continues over in the universities, and more female tend to register for the business where as percentage of male students in the universities and college of education register for sciences for instance, in the university of Benin, eventually all the science education programmes, education, physics, education, chemist4ry, education mathematics, and education biology, male students tend to dominate the female students at least numerically.
            The problems are that this trend for male dominations in the sciences has continued to grow from year to year and it seemed as if it is an accepted phenomenon. But naturally, there is known biological differences between male and female students associated with their performance in business courses, which tend to support males dominance in the field of science education. There is a feeling by some people that female students in institutions of learning in Esan central Local government area of Edo State are not serious in business studies. But there has not been any known empirical study that investigated the factors responsible for this fact. This study is to identify the factor which influences the attitude of female students to business studies in Esan Central Local Government Area of Edo State.
1.3             RESEARCH QUESTIONS        
1.                  What is the attitude of female students to business subjects?
2.                  What are the factors that influence female student’s attitude towards the study of business subject?  
3.                  Is there any significant relationship between practical lessons and attitude of students towards business subjects?  
4.                  Has career preference any influence on the attitude of female students towards business subjects.
5.                  Do incompetent business teachers influence the attitude of female students towards business subjects?
1.4             PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The purpose of study is to identify the factors which influence the attitude of female students to business studies in Esan Central Local Government Area of Edo State.
This study will:
1.                  Find out if availability of equipment and textbooks for teaching and learning in secondary schools can influence female’s student’s attitude to business subjects.
2.                  Determine whether business practical lessons affect the attitude of female students to business subjects.
3.                  Find out whether career preference has any effect on the attitude of female students towards business education.
4.                  Determine whether incompetent business teachers influence the attitude of female students towards business studies.
5.                  Determine whether parent’s educational background affects the attitude of female students towards business subjects.
6.                  To determine whether teacher’s motivation can increase student’s interest in business subject.       
1.5             BASIC ASSUMPTION
It is assumed that the female attitude to business studies is conditioned by their perception of business subjects. Also that the female students choice of business subject varies from student to students, given diverse interaction variables, socio-status, educational and even personal factors.
1.6             SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The study, influencing female students attitude to business studies in esan central local government area of Edo State will help reveal some of the factors which influence female attitude to business studies courses. It helps students improve their attitude. Also help curriculum planners identify areas of emphasis in the planning of business study curriculum. Not the last, it will serve as a basis for further research.
It will help business studies identify areas of concentration in business studies.
1.7             DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The study population is made up of all the forty-one secondary school in Esan Central Local Government Area of Edo State. These schools are made up of 25 mixed schools, 10 girls schools and 6 boys schools. Out of these, a random sampling of 10 schools which consists of 4 girls schools, 3 boys schools and 3 mixed schools were selected.
The research subjects are made up of senior secondary two (SSII) students and some heads of department of business subjects in the selected schools in Esan Central Local Government Area of Edo State.
1.8             DEFINITION OF TERMS
Attitude: this is an acquired disposition to respond in a certain way towards an object or situation.
Business: are these activities that provides good and services needed by the people for the purpose of profit making.
Business subject: these are subject that introduce students to produce product, buy and sell good or provide some kinds of services in other to earn profit. These subjects include. Business study economic, commerce, vocational and technical studies art craft, marketing and organization be.
Urban schools: school located in settlement where amenities such as pipe borne water, electricity, recreational centres, good road etc are available like local government head quarters.
Rural schools: school located in settlement where the above-mentioned social amenities are not available.
Mixed schools: An institution made up of both boys and girls in post primary level.
Signed schools an institution of learning made up of either boys or girls only still in the post-primary level.
Qualification of teachers: teacher who has the necessary ability experience and knowledge in the subject area
Education: is a process of teaching, training and learning especially in schools or colleges to improve knowledge and develop skills.
Career: job or profession that someone has been trained for and intend to do for several years.
Preference: preferring one thing more than any thing else.