SCHOOL BASED ASSESSMENT FOR

CXC
GENERAL PROFICIENCY
PRESENTED TO
LITTLE LONDON HIGH SCHOOL
BUSINESS EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT
JAMAICA
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT FOR THE
CERTIFICATE IN
OFFICE ADMINISTRATION
(General Proficiency)
Submitted By
Calecia Bingham
Teacher: Ms. Forbes
Registration No: 100064 __________
Date: 2011
Title Page
 Table of Contents
Title Page

Acknowledgement I
Introduction II

Part 1: Preparation
Title 1
Aims and Objectives 2
Functions of the Department 3
Correspondence 4

Part 2: Gathering Data

Methodology 5
Five Questions 6
Schedule of Activities 7
Regulation and Company Policies 8

Part 3: Presentation
Report 10-11
Table - Business Forms 12
Table - Office Equipment 13
Information Sources 14
Appendices - Sample Documents 15-17
 Acknowledgement

The successful completion of this research would not have been possible if not for the help of

God, who gave me the wisdom, knowledge and understand to carry out the research. My very

generous teacher Ms. Forbes for giving me this research to widen my vocabulary about the

accounts office. Last but by for not the least, my parents and other family members for

supporting me both physically,

Mentally and spiritually through this research.

 Introduction
Inside this research are a number of very important facts about the Accounts Office. In every

business/organization the accounts department plays a vital role, as it is the department that

deals with the finance of the business. This department entails a lot functions from which the

researcher choose the two most important. The research also contains a number of business

forms, equipment and their use, used in the daily running of the business.
 Title
‘An investigation into some of the equipment used in the Accounts office?’
 Aims and Objectives
 To learn and accumulate information of the accounts department.
 To find out what are the machines associated with the accounts department and the

role they play in the organization

 Two Functions of the
Accounts Office
 To provide information to others about the finances of the business.
 To maintain accurate records of all transactions made by the business.

Little London P.O.

Westmoreland.

September 18, 2011

 The Manager:
Courts Jamaica Ltd,
Savanna La Mar,
Westmoreland.
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am a student of the Little London High School currently in the fifth (5 th) form where I
will be required to sit the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) Examinations in June
2012. I am seeking permission to visit your institution to conduct a survey.

In order to complete the CXC examinations a School Based Assessment (SBA) project has
to be done as a part of the syllabus of Office Administration. I would like to conduct m
research at your institution specifically in and around the Accounts Department of your
organization.

Yours truly,

____________________
Calecia Bingham
Part 2
 Methodology
In the process of gathering data, the research used the form of printed questionnaires. Fifteen

questionnaires were allocated to members of the institution. Their age group ranges from ages

25-32 and has been employed for over ten years at the institution. The questionnaires were

issued on Monday September 20th, 2011 and collected the following Friday the 25th of

September 2011. The researcher used other methods of collecting information such as: internet

sites, textbook and observation.

 Five Questions
1). How important is the accounts office to your organization?

2).What is the machines associated with this department?

3). briefly explain the function of each machine listed in question 2 above.

4).What effect does this department have on the organization?

5). State the worker that ensures the daily activities are carried out.
 Schedule of Activities
DATE ACTIVITY
September 10 2011 Topic for SBA (research) was
chosen and presented to
teacher
September 12 2011 Aims and objectives were
shown to teacher
July 3, 2010 Two functions of the accounts
office were selected
July 10, 2010 Correspondence was
prepared and shown to
teacher
July 12, 2010 Corrections were made
July 17, 2010 Correspondence was typed,
printed and delivered to the
institution
July 19, 2010 The institution phoned the
researcher
July 22, 2010 Questionnaires were typed
and printed
July 31, 2010 Questionnaires were
distributed to the institution
Monday August 4, 2010
August 9, 2010 Questionnaires were
completed by response
COMMENTS
Teacher approved the topic
Aims and objectives were approved
by the teacher
Teacher stated that the functions
were commendable
The teacher told the researcher
that there were a number of
grammatical corrections which she
corrected.
Teacher approved
Correspondence was collected for
answering by the manager.
Permission was granted to observe
the accounts office
Teacher approved
Staff instructed researcher to
collect questionnaires
Questionnaires were successfully
answered.
 Regulation and company
policies

Legislation
 A legislation that has been passed is the Worker’s Compensation Act. This act state that
if personal injury arises out of accidents that take place during normal duties on the job
and it is not the workers fault then the employer will be liable to pay compensation to
the injured employee. This legislation was handed down by the worker’s compensation
act of 1982. This legislation was taken from the companies hand book. This legislation
was put in place by George Anderson manager of Courts Jamaica Ltd Savanna La Mar
branch.

Health and safety practices

 No food should be taken into the department or near the records kept.

Rules given to the researcher

 The researcher was told not to wonder around the business place. A member of staff
was selected to carry the researcher around the business place.
 Report
After all the data was collected, the researcher found that Courts Jamaica Ltd which is located on Great
George Street in the town of Savanna-la-mar, Westmoreland was built on January 17, 1968. All rules and
legislation were passed on March 20, 1968.

Within the findings, the researcher found out about some of the equipments use in the accounts office
and there importance in carrying out the work of the accounts office. The researcher also found that
the accounts clerk must be honest and trustful in all aspect of the work, he/she must be able to carry out
all their duties in a timely and in competent manner and that he/she must be able to identify which
aspect of the work is confidential and they must not divulged to no other persons. Their daily activities
carried include; preparing payroll, cheques, reconciliation of accounts, posting items to ledger, preparing
statement of account, writing up the cash book and liaising with the other departments of the same
firm. The main business forms and documents used in the accounts office include cheques, pay sheet or
payroll and bank reconciliation statement. Electronics calculators, computers and photocopiers and fax
machines are some of the equipment used in the firm.

Question 7: Which equipment in the firm is used more frequently?

Electronic calculators’ □
Computers □
Photocopiers and Fax machines □
Figure 1

The diagram above is a pie chart which shows the frequency of the equipment used in the accounts
office. From the three categories, computers had the highest with a total of forty percent (40%),
electronic calculators had the second highest with a total of thirty-five percent (35%) and photocopiers
and fax machines had the lowest of twenty percent (20%).

In order for the researcher to collect all the information, there were difficulties the researcher faced.
One of the major challenges the researcher faced were during the period of the interview. After the
researcher sent the correspondence to the business place seeking permission for the interview, when
the researcher received the phone call stating the time, date and place of interview, he had to
reschedule the date of the interview because it was during school session.

The problem was solved when the researcher wrote a letter to the principal of Manning’s School, Mrs.
Gloria Wagstaff, asking for the permission in order to conduct the interview. The researcher then called
the business place telling them the date he got for the interview and if they can accommodate him on
that particular date. During the interview, three persons were interview the manager, George Anderson,
the accounts clerk, Jennifer Gayle, and the financial manager, Rochelle Peterson. All the information
grasped was useful which helps the researcher to complete the study carried out.
Table – business forms
Date Name Used for
July 3, 2010 Invoices This is a document sent by the
supplier to the purchaser
when goods are ready for
delivery.
July 17, 2010 Debit Note This is a document made out
by the seller whenever the
purchaser has been
undercharged on an invoice.
 Table – office
equipment
Date Equipment purpose Suitability for
used task
July 19, 2010 Photocopiers and Fax They are designed This equipment helps
machines with coping facilities in the quickness and
so that users can have the accuracy of the
hard and extra copies, work.
and so that other
departments can get
information easily .
July 31, 2010 Electronic Calculators This equipment is This is use as on hand
used for tasks with equipment in the
calculations. speediness of work.
August 1, 2010 Computers This is used to enter, This was used to send
store and process information from one
data. department to
another. It was also
used to store
information that
couldn’t be stored on
mere paper.
 Information Sources
Interview

Date Place interviewed Job title

July 3, 2010 Courts Jamaica Ltd Manager

Publication
Finesterre S, Payne L and Reid J. (Fifth Impression). Longman Office Administration for

CXC: Pearson Education Limited (2007)

Harrison John and Scantlebury Barbara. New Caribbean Office Procedures with SBA

Guidelines Included: Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data. (2001)

Robinson Karlene and Hamil Sybile (Eight Impressions). Principles of Business with SBA,

Study Guide and Exercises: Carlong Publishers (2008)

Seunarine Sam. Dr. (New Edition). Office Procedures for the Caribbean with Multiple

Choice Questions: CONTINUUM Wellington House. (1999)

Whitcomb Alan and Sybile Hamil. (Second Edition). Essential Principles of Business for

CXC: Longman Publishing for the Caribbean (2000)

Internet site
Carleton Jones (2001 September) Equipments use in the Accounts office. Date retrieved:
July 04, 2009,from Http//: www.google.com.
appendices
 Office administration school
Based assessment
Questionnaire
Topic:
Instruction: Answer the following questions by placing a tick in the boxes ▢ and by placing
brief notes on the lines provided.

Age group:

18 – 25 □ 26 – 35 □
36 – 45 □ Over 45□

Gender: Female □ Male □

1. What is your position in the firm?

Manager □ Assistant manager □

Secretary □ Accounts clerk □
Others, please specify________________

2. How long have been working in the bank?

2 years □ 11 – 16 years □
3 – 5 years □ 17 – 25 years □
6 – 10 years□ 25 and over □

3. Do you receive special training for this particular job?

Yes □ No □
If yes, how many years?
1 year □ 2 – 4 years □ 5 or more years □
4. What are some of the equipment used?

5. How effective are these equipment used in the bank?

Very effective □
Effective □
Less effective □

6. Does the equipment helps to speed up working process?

Yes □ No □

7. Which equipment in the firm is used more frequently?

Electronic calculators’ □
Computers □
Photocopier and Fax machine □

8. Is there a purpose for the accounts clerk at your firm?

9. What are some of the activities carried out by the accounts clerk on a daily basis?

10. What are some of the attributes possessed as an accounts clerk?

11. If there is no accounts clerk at your firm, who will perform the tasks of the accounts clerk?