More accountants pass professional exams

Date: 1st September 2008

Small business owners should have more choice when it comes to hiring an accountant to help them with their tax returns in the future.

Figures show that the number of students successfully passing their final Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (Acca) exams has soared to record levels.

In total, 6,174 students successfully became Acca affiliates when they completed their exams.

"The new qualification, launched in 2007, continues to be well received by employers, tuition providers and candidates," commented Clare Minchington, Acca's managing director for learning and technical policies.

"To meet the demands of globalised and complex economies, we are committed to ensuring that all our examinations meet the highest standards and provide a thorough testing of our students."

While Acca said that "performance at the Professional Level was in line with expectations", it added that it was slightly disappointed about results within the Fundamentals papers.

Recently, accountants have been urging the government to pass a new law that would protect their profession from under-qualified practitioners.