ECONOMIC LITERACY AMONG NIGERIAN UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS: THECASE OF AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, SAMARU MAIN CAMPUS ZARIA

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Date
1986-12
Authors
MICHAEL, STEVE OLU
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Abstract
It is the desire of every society to develop economically. An important factor contributing to economic development is economic knowledge possessed by the citizens within a society. Realization of this, therefore, places emphasis on economic education. This study was designed to assess the economic literacy of educated Nigerians (those with university education). However, to avoid the confounding influences of extraneous factors, such as working experience, Nigerian undergraduate students in their final year were studied instead of the graduates. A stratified random sample of 200 students participated in the study. A test of economic literacy was developed and administered to the finalists and the freshmen - those just beginning their university education, used in this study as a control group. In addition to the test which measured economic literacy, questionnaires were also administered to collect personal data. Factors suspected to contribute to economic literacy were also investigated. These include major field of study, sex, age, level of formal education in economics and previous working experience. The findings indicate that university education affects one's economic literacy irrespective of the The findings indicate that university education affects one's economic literacy irrespective of the field of study. University life offers the opportunity for one to be more literate in economic matters. However, some disciplines contribute more to economic literacy than do others. For example, professional science students are better than arts students in economic literacy. Sex differences in economic literacy are found only among freshmen. University education neutralizes the sex effect, hence, among finalists, neither females nor males can claim superiority in economic knowledge. Age does not have any influence on economic literacy. Economic illiteracy among educated Nigerians should be given paramount attention. A council to deal with the problem nation-wide should be set up. A core course in economics and sociology title "Nigerian Problems" to be taken by all Nigerian undergraduates, irrespective of field of study, is also recommended. The curriculum at the primary school level should include business and economic ethics. Government should accelerate the production of business educators who should play the dual-role of teaching economic education and business studies.
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MASTER OF EDUCATION (M.ED) (BUSINESS EDUCATION) DEPARTMENT OF VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY ZARIA. DECEMBER, 1986
Keywords
ECONOMIC,, LITERACY,, AMONG,, NIGERIAN,, UNDERGRADUATE,, STUDENTS,, THECASE,, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY,, SAMARU,, MAIN CAMPUS,, ZARIA.
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