Factors Influencing Students’ Choice of Business Studies in Senior High Schools in the Upper West Region

Abstract

Business studies has been incorporated into the Ghanaian educational curriculum to equip students with the needed skills and knowledge to fit well into the world of work. However, the emerging development is that few students are attracted to business studies as compared to other academic subjects. Against this background, the study was conducted to determine the factors that influence students' choice of business studies in Senior High Schools in the Upper West Region. The specific objectives guiding the study were: (I) to investigate the socio-cultural factors influencing SHS students’ choice of business studies; (ii) to examine the economic factors that influence students’ choice of business studies in SHSs; and (iii) to explore the school-level factors influencing SHSs students’ choice of business studies in the Upper West Region. The study draws on the mixed methods research design to collect primary data from a sample of 276 students using survey questionnaires and supported by key informant interviews. The data were analysed using both quantitative and qualitative methods. Results show that socio-cultural factors such as parents’ gender, social status, educational attainment, and religion influence students' choice of business studies at SHS. In addition, economic factors such as the desire to work in banks, a history of high salaries, and good working conditions were found to positively influence students' choice of business studies, however, it was found that limited job opportunities in the field of business drive students’ way from studying business. With regards to the school-level factors, the findings show that restriction of access to higher institutions of learning such as teacher training and nursing training colleges were found to adversely affect students' choice of pursuing business studies in SHS. Furthermore, it was found that students consider business studies as a mathematics-based programme and express fear of pursuing it due to the computations involved. In addition, it was revealed that the students’ interest greatly influences their choice of pursuing business studies at SHS. The findings from this study are in tandem with the Cognitive Career Choice Theory, which indicates that students make their career choices based on three outcomes – self-efficacy, goal and expected outcomes. This study, therefore, recommends that career guidance should be given to students during the process of selecting schools and programmes of study into SHS in Ghana, and finally students should be given the opportunity to select programmes of their choice based on their career guidance and interest to pursue them.