PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS OF ACCOUNTING FOR THE STUDENTS OF ACCOUNTING IN TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS

By

ANAJEMBA ESTHER AKUABIA

Presented To

Department of Accountancy

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE …………………………………… i

APPROVAL PAGE ………………………………….. ii

DEDICATION …………………………………. iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ………………………………… iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS ………………………………… v

CHAPTER ONE: 

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY 1

1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEMS 4

1.3 PURCHASE OF THE STUDY 5

1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY 5

1.5 RESEARCH QUESTION 6

1.6 SCOPE 7

CHAPTER TWO:

2.1 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE 8

2.2 DEFINITION AND MEANING OF ACCOUNTING 8

2.3 ACCOUNTING STUDY AND PROBLEMS OF TEACHING 12

2.4 FACTORS MILITATING AGAINST THE EFFECTIVE-TEACHING ACCOUNTING STUDY 15

2.5 PROSPECTS OF ACCOUNTING FOR STUDENTS OF ACCOUNTING OPTION 18

2.6 SUMMARY OF REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE 20

CHAPTER THREE: 

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1 SUMMARY 22

5.2 CONCLUSIONS 24

5.3 RECOMMENDATIONS 25

5.4 BIBLIOGRAPHY 27

CHAPTER ONE

1.1 INTRODUCTION

Background to the study: Accounting is the systematic complication of financial information for use in making economic decision. It is the mechanism and body of of principles through which business activities that are capable of being expressed in terms of money are recorded, classified and periodically summarized and interpreted. Lexicon Universal encyclopedia (1980 edition).

Accountants interprets financial information by explaining it's meaning, uses and limitations. According to the Lexicon universal encyclopedia the system of record keeping existed as early as 3600BC. Priest in ancient Babylonian kept accounts of their temple receipt on clay tables. Modern accounting method stated from 14^th century in Italy, when merchants in trade centers such as gevoe used a double entry book keeping system to account for what they owned (liabilities) the first work or accounting was written by Luca Pacidi mathematician and tutor to the children of a prince.

His summa-dear thematic, geometric proportional (1494). Consisted of a chapter on accounting that describes double entry book keeping in the 16 ^th and 17^th centuries the Italian method of book keeping spread to other commercial centers in Europe. it was introduced in London about 1550 but did not become well known for another country. Public accounting develops in England and Scotland. Companies regulated by parliament were required to have auditors, just as common law and commercial practice come to the united states of America from England and Scotland so did the practice of accounting the disciples of accounting includes the following fields of financial accounting, Managerial accounting, book-keeping, taxation accounting, public accounting or auditing, accounting system, non profit accounting and social accounting with the public sector in Nigeria now controlling directly and indirectly the bulk of the country's economic resources financial management in the public sector is much more embracing then is then generally realized at an increasing price, the government has since independence sought to perform entrepreneur tasks in an attempt to assume the commanding height of the national economy. Such expansion of the public sector and the direct involvement of the government at all level of the economy, call for sound systems and method of accounting as a pre-requisition. For an effective and responsible public administration, particularly in area of economic management. The job of chartered accountants has become more sophisticated because the growth in the Nigeria economy. The modern day chartered accountant opinion on the accuracy of financial statement but also advises management of both the public and private sectors on the viability of investment project and tax matters. In many caess, the chartered accountant is called upon serve the nation as a member of a special investigation panel. In performing these function requires the assistance of trained and able accounting technicians.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Accounting is greatly misconceived by people because they do not know the value of the course. The fact is that such people who operate the course are not conversant with the process of addition and subtraction and such students have no understanding in accounting course like public accounting. Accounting which form important part in the accountancy should be taught often, both as a core course on the area of specialization. This is because the still, which is to be gained from the course, is to be utilized in our everyday economic life commercial industrial and other business activities. The curriculum of education system structured by the colonial masters in Nigeria, left skills leaving the product as qualified consumers in the classroom, while the product with the national diploma are restricted to the middle management cadre and because of these observed weaknesses the researcher was motivated to go into this study.

1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

It is a clear fact that accounting as a course of study in accountancy department is faced with so many problems ranging from the method of imparting it to the students. The purpose of this research is therefore to investigate and give recommendation on how these problems should be tackled. Specifically the purpose of the study is to.

1) Identify the problems of militating against the effective teaching of accounting in tertiary institutions.

2) Identify the best way of teaching accounting

3) Identifythe expected prospects of a student learning accountancy as a profession.

1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This will offer relevant information about the study of accounting to the accounting option students of higher institutions in Nigeria. The findings of the study will provide vivid clue on things required for effective teaching of accounting in schools.

When the things required known, it will serve as a motivation to the curriculum planners for effective review. The parents will be able to know the prospect of their children so as to encourage them properly and adequately. The lectures are not left out in the share of the dividends that accrue from findings of this study. This is because the lecturer who knows what is required of him shall be able to get prepared appropriately.

1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following research question should guide the study?

1) What are the problems militating against effective teaching of accounting in tertiary institutions?

2) What are the best ways of Teaching?

3) What are the expected prospects of a student learning accountancy as a profession?

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The scope of this study is only on the problems and prospects of accounting in tertiary institutions. It dwelt on the problems militating against the teaching accounting and the derivable outcome of the programme to students in the field.