THE ROLE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION IN DIVERSIFYING THE NIGERIA’S ECONOMY

Ndace Silas

Entrepreneurship Education,

University of Ibadan,

E-mail:silwanciko@gmail.com

                                                                    ABSTRACT

Entrepreneurship education has become very relevant in the light of the present challenge of unemployment and restiveness among the youths in Nigeria. Research into stakeholders’ position with regard to stage and how models are introduced into school curriculum will have some implications for entrepreneurship education. This study was aimed at investigating stakeholders’ disposition towards inclusion of entrepreneurship studies into primary school curriculum in Minna, Chanchaga Local Government Area of Niger State. The study adopted a descriptive cross-sectional survey research design, which allowed the collection of primary quantitative data through pretested semi-structured questionnaire. Stratified random sampling and simple random sampling techniques were used to select 403 stakeholders, which included teachers (117), parents (224), policy makers (12) and entrepreneurs (50). Data were collected using a pretested interviewer administered questionnaire. The study instrument has five sections including the socio-demographic, knowledge and disposition to entrepreneurship education Knowledge was assessed using a 22-points knowledge scale and disposition was also assessed with a 19-point scale. Categorisation of knowledge score as 0-9point as poor, ˃9-15points as fair and ˃15points as good while disposition scores were categorised into 0-5points as poor, ˃5-8points as fair and ˃8points as good. The data were analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics, including Chi-square test at 0.05 level of significance. Respondents (21.3%) were parents, (43.1%) teachers, (12.2%) policy makers and (23.4%) were entrepreneurs. Respondents (62.4%) and 17.3% had fair and good knowledge of entrepreneurship education, respectively. Few (35.5%) and 50.8% respondents had fair and good disposition towards inclusion of entrepreneurial curricular, respectively. Majority (97.5%) indicated their support for the inclusion of entrepreneurship skill into primary school curriculum and (99.0%) respondents were in support of child’s early exposure to entrepreneurship study. Respondents (86.6%) perceived themselves as the most influential figures in the children‘s career development and decisions and 84.3% indicated also that they were willing to influence their wards towards choosing entrepreneurship studies with education. About one third (33.0%) indicated that socio-economic factors and educational background influenced their disposition towards the disposition to include entrepreneurship education. The study also confirmed that the current economic recession/hardship could be motivating factors towards the inclusion as (39.1%) of respondents were in support. There was no significant difference between stakeholders’ age and disposition towards inclusion and also between stakeholders’ income and disposition towards inclusion of entrepreneurship studies into primary school curriculum. Majority of the stakeholders were quite knowledgeable and had good disposition towards inclusion of entrepreneurship studies into primary school curriculum. It is therefore recommended that government should embark on creation of awareness and mobilisation on entrepreneurship education. Interest of the child should be considered as the first precondition for encouraging him/her to choose a career in the entrepreneurship education. Policy makers in education sector should consider the inclusion of entrepreneurship studies into the primary school curriculum.

Keywords:  Entrepreneurship Education; Stakeholders’ disposition; Primary school education