Increasing Supply of Accountants: A Reevaluation of the Accountancy Program Retention Policy in a State University in the Philippines

Abstract

This study evaluates the Qualifying Examination (QE) as a retention policy in the BSA program at a State University in the Philippines. The QE is widely employed in the country to gauge program quality and selectively admit students to advance within the BSA program. However, this contributes to the program's low graduation rates due to the significant disqualification of students. The research re-examines the features and implementation of the QE at the State University to identify factors that may hinder or further decrease the supply of accountants in the Philippines. A qualitative approach was adopted, and thematic analysis was performed to generate qualitative data. The researchers used semi-structured interviews to gather findings. The primary result underscores the endorsement of the QE in the BSA program. However, participants expressed reservations about its features and implementation, indicating a need for reevaluation or restructuring of the retention policy. These concerns emerged from their experiences with the examination, aiming to prevent prospective students from being deterred or removed from the program. Significantly, the study's findings suggest a decline in the supply of accountants due to the QE. The study proposes the implementation of student-centric retention policies in the BSA program to enhance graduation rates while maintaining the quality of students.