4. The Libyan accounting education
During the 1950s when Libya obtained its independence, education was neglected and
at least 90 per cent of the people were illiterate and very few Libyans had studied at
university or were qualified, which resulted in a lack of administrators, planners,
regulators and professionals including professional accountants (Ahmad and Gao,
2004; Agnaia, 1997). Moreover, education programmes were established including
accounting education were based heavily on advisors, including experts, from the UK
and the USA. When Libya’s wealth and resources increased due to increasing the oil
exports during 1960s, the Libyan government paid more attention to developing
the education system at different levels (primary, intermediate and university). The
government realized that education has a significant impact on all other aspects of
life, which resulted in increasing the number of schools and colleges (see Table I) and
faculties in different subjects were opened in the country (Porter and Yergin, 2006). The
quality of education had been influenced by the sanctions and the embargo imposed
by the USA and UN during 1990s and over the first half of 2000s. However, a lot of
progress has been made by the government providing the financial support for
Libyans to study in the UK and USA.
The first accounting educational programme at the university level was introduced
in Libya by the Faculty of Economics and Commerce (FEC) in 1957 at the Garyounis
University (currently known as the Libya University). It was the first accounting
faculty established in the country and offered accounting education at university level
(Kilani, 1988). According to Ahmad and Gao (2004) the educational programme,
introduced by University of Libya, was completely British orientated. This programme
was started with 48 students and ten members of staff in three departments taught
accounting, economics and administration. The academic year was nine months, with
a bachelor degree being offered over a four-year period (The Libya University, 1977b).
In 1976, the FEC moved its accounting programme to the American system. The
academic year is divided in two semesters each being 16 weeks. The number of
undergraduate students increased from 48 at the beginning of establishing the faculty
to 1,639 students in 1976, and the number of the faculty members increased from ten to
49 members. All of them were educated in the UK and the USA (Ahmad and Gao, 2004;
The Libya University, 1977a).