Assessment of Pre-Service Business Education Students’ Awareness And Attitude Toward Cybersecurity Education In Colleges Of Education In Southwest Nigeria (Penilaian Kesedaran Dan Sikap Pelajar Pendidikan Perniagaan Pra-Perkhidmatan Terhadap Pendidikan Keselamatan Siber Di Kolej Pendidikan Di Barat Barat Nigeria)

Abstract

The rapid digitalisation of Nigerian education and business has heightened the urgency of cybersecurity literacy, particularly among pre-service teachers who will shape the digital habits of future generations. This study assessed the awareness and attitude of pre-service business education students toward cybersecurity education in selected Federal Colleges of Education in Southwest Nigeria. A descriptive survey design was adopted, with 149 respondents drawn through purposive sampling from the Federal College of Education (Technical), Akoka; Federal College of Education, Osiele; and Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo. Data were collected using the researcher-developed Cybersecurity Awareness and Attitude Questionnaire (CAATQ), structured on a four-point Likert scale, and analysed through frequency counts, percentages, means and standard deviations, while research hypotheses were tested using multiple regression analysis at a 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that the majority of respondents (87.2%) were aware of cybersecurity education, with female students constituting 61.7% of the sample and a strong concentration in Marketing and Accounting Education. Attitudinal analysis indicated moderate anxiety (mean = 2.56), cautious confidence (mean = 2.61) and notable positive interest (mean = 2.64) in acquiring further cybersecurity knowledge, though scores on collaborative learning were comparatively lower. The study concludes that, while awareness and disposition are encouraging, structured, tiered and discipline-specific cybersecurity training is needed to convert this readiness into competence. Practical, gender-sensitive and hands-on cybersecurity modules should therefore be embedded into the business education curriculum.