Office/Clerical Staff – JSS1 Business Studies Lesson Note (First Term)

An office or clerical staff member is a person who keeps records of accounts or sales in an office and is usually assigned written work. Examples are the accounts clerk and the sales clerk. A good one is educated, healthy, neat, cheerful and able to decide without being directed.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

• explain who an office or clerical staff member is;
• give two examples of office staff;
• list at least five qualities of a good office staff member.

Who is an office or clerical staff member?

An office staff member is someone who keeps a record of accounts or sales in an office. A clerical staff member is generally assigned to do written work.

Examples of office staff

1. Accounts clerk
2. Sales clerk

What are the qualities of an office staff member?

1. Must possess a sound minimum education of West African Senior School Certificate or its equivalent.
2. Must have the ability to speak the official language fluently.
3. Must be endowed with good health.
4. Must be willing to improve on their education.
5. Must have the ability to respond to enquiries with alertness of mind, precision and interest.
6. Must have an ambition to take to a profession.
7. Must like clerical duties such as recording and filing.
8. Must be cheerful and courteous when attending to callers.
9. Must possess the ability to make correct decisions without being directed.
10. Must be neat and smartly dressed always.

Evaluation

1. Who is an office/clerical staff member?
2. Give two examples of office staff.

Assignment

Reading assignment

Business Studies for Junior Secondary School Book One, revised edition, by O.A Lawal, J.E Yaro and F.O.C. Ezeah, pages 3 to 4.

Weekend assignment

1. Someone who is employed to keep a record of accounts in an office is called (a) clerical staff (b) account officer (c) sales officer.
2. The minimum qualification for the post of a clerk in an office is (a) SSCE (b) OND (c) ATS.
3. A good clerical staff member must possess the following qualities except (a) must be neat (b) must be willing to improve on their education (c) must be arrogant.
4. The basic functions of an office are the following except (a) receiving information (b) giving information (c) scattering information.
5. Trade by barter means (a) exchanging goods for goods and services (b) buying goods and services (c) selling goods and services.

Theory

1. What is meant by office staff?
2. Mention five qualities of a good office staff member.

Revision evaluation questions

1. What is trade by barter?
2. State two advantages of money over trade by barter.
3. Mention four subjects covered by business studies.
4. State one benefit of studying business studies.
5. What is an office?