ABSTRACT
The researchers empirically investigated the perceptions of
Business Education Students on the relevance of Entrepreneurship Education at
the Colleges of Education in Edo State. In order to investigate this study, the
researchers raised three (3) research questions and one hypothesis. Related
literaturewas reviewed and the Entrepreneurial Event Model (EEM) developed by
Shapero and Sokol in 1982 was adapted as the conceptual framework for the
study. The framework showed at a glance the various stages and processes that
eventually climaxed into business formation. The survey design was used in the
study. Eight hundred and ten (810) Business Education students from both
Colleges of Education in the state formed the population of the study out of
which a sample size of one hundred and sixty two (162) students was selected
using the proportionate stratified random sampling technique. The instrument
used was the questionnaire titled: Business Education Students’ Perceptions of
Entrepreneurship Education Questionnaire (BESPEEQ) and it was divided into two
sections – A and B. Section A consist of the demographic information of the
respondents while section B consist of thirteen (13) opinion statements
structured in a 4-point rating scale. The instrument was validated by three (3)
experts and the test re-test method of reliability was used in obtaining
reliability co-efficient of 0.78. The instrument was administered to the
respondents with the help of research assistants and the data collated was
subjected to statistical analyses. The descriptive and inferential statistical
tools were used in analyzing the data. The findings revealed that
entrepreneurial have relevance in entrepreneurship. It also revealed that
skills and entrepreneurship education have influence on economic development;
and that there was no significant difference between the perceptions of male
and female business education students on the relevance of entrepreneurship
Education. One of the recommendations advanced by the researchers was that
there should be conscious efforts by educators to properly transmit the
entrepreneurial skills to the learners with ease.
INTRODUCTION
The teaching and learning of Entrepreneurship
Education in tertiary institutions is of paramount interest to all
stakeholders. The National Policy on Education describes Education as an
instrument ‘par excellence’ for effecting national development (FRN, 2004). It
is conceived that education is capable of bringing about the desired
socio-economic and political changes in the country. The recent call for the
inclusion of Entrepreneurship Education in tertiary educational institutions in
Nigeria is an indication of its importance to employment creation; as Nigeria
continues to churn out graduates from our various institutions that are hardly
self reliant but solely dependent on white collar jobs for sustenance because
they lack adequate skills that will make them function effectively and
efficiently towards the development of the economy.
In the western world, the need to recognizing
entrepreneurship education started to gain prominence immediately after the
Second World War. After the World War 11 that lasted for a period of six (6)
years (1939 - 1945), there was evidence of collapse of most of the structures
of the economy thereby making it impossible for the government to fully absorb
all the graduates of the educational system. Though the situation during those
periods were not the same with what was obtainable in developing countries like
Nigeria. The discovery of crude oil at Oloibiri in the 1950s subsequently led to
oil boom in the country and there were enough funds in the government treasury
to fully absorb all the graduates of the educational system at various levels.
The collapse of the oil boom thereby leading to economic recession in the
country with its accompanying problems – unemployment, poverty and othe social
vices like kidnapping, youth restiveness, and Boko Haram insurgency redirected
the focus of Nigerians. The increasing level of unemployment in the country was
what informed the introduction of entrepreneurship education in 2006 by the
Federal Government to remedy the problems of unemployment, poverty and unrest
in the country (Ediagbonya, 2013; Imeokparia & Ediagbonya, 2013).
The Federal Government made the programme compulsory
for students of higher education institutions irrespective of area of
specialization and in most tertiary institutions, entrepreneurship education
has been adopted as a compulsory general studies course for students. The
overall objective is to continuously foster entrepreneurship culture and spirit
amongst students and faculty with a view to educating them as well as
supporting graduates of the system towards establishing and also maintaining
sustainable business ventures (Urbano, Aponte & Toledano, 2008). The
Minister of education stressed that the National Universities Commission (NUC)
was given presidential directives by the Ministry of Education to supervise and
coordinate the programme of introducing entrepreneurship education in Nigerian
institutions of higher learning in collaboration with all regulatory bodies of
higher institutions - the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), National
Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) to be handled by the committee set
up by the Federal Government.
As a nation, Nigeria has been working tirelessly
since the collapse of oil boom to achieve youth independence, poverty
eradication and improved economic status through several reforms and programme
initiatives such as the Operation Feed the Nation (OFN), National Poverty
Eradication Program (NAPEP), Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP), National
Directorate of Employment (NDE) among others. Regrettably, however these
programme initiatives aimed at capacity building and utilization seem not to
have helped in any way to equip young school leavers (Youths) with appropriate
skills that will empower them after graduation from school (Okolocha &
Okolocha, 2012).
Despite strong economic growth, youth’s full – time
unemployment rate for 2006-2008 in Nigeria was put at 55.9%. Till today, youth
unemployment has continued to be on the increase. Countries like Japan,
Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, China, India, Korea, to mention a few,
have joined the community of industrialized nations by strengthening their
small scale industries. Nigeria on its part is equally trying to join other
industrialized countries by 2020. It is in a bid to bridge the gap between
youth unemployment and job creation that the Federal Ministry of Education made
entrepreneurship education one of the compulsory general studies for students
in tertiary institutions across the country to inculcate in the youths the spirit
of self reliance, which has become essential for national economic growth and
development. The essence of entrepreneurship education is to build in the
students entrepreneurship spirit and culture (Akpomi, 2009; Adejimola &
Olufunmilayo, 2009). Entrepreneurship education has emphasis on education for
self-employment rather than education for paid employment. This kind of
education has become so important in Nigeria owing to the high level of
unemployment coupled with its accompanying social vices and unrest. It is
believed that this kind of education is capable of meaningfully engaging the
individuals and making them more productive and useful to themselves and the
country at large.
The growth and development of the economy depends
largely on the kind of skills that the graduates of our educational
institutions are equipped with. According to Ihebereme (2010), skill acquisition
is the process of acquiring or gaining effective and ready knowledge in
developing ones aptitude and ability in a particular field. Skill acquisition
is one among the policies embarked upon in Nigeria with the sole aim to
alleviate poverty, youth restiveness, sophisticated crime and corruption rate;
rural – urban drift, unemployment and other social vices (Ihebereme, 2010).
Skill acquisition in Nigeria tertiary education level is meant to equip our
students with more practical and less theoretical knowledge on income
generating skills. Mbionwu (2008) noted that when youths are given adequate
training in skills, they can be self-employed after schooling; hence they
become active partners in both community and national development. The
possession of skill is important in preventing youths from becoming social
misfit. Ihebereme (2008) opined that skill acquisition (Entrepreneurship)
education in Nigerian educational system acts as a rehabilitator,
re-orientator, motivator and empowered to the under-privileged (students of
poor parents). These skills are described as entrepreneurial skills (Akudolu,
2010).
Okolocha and Okolocha (2012) described
entrepreneurship skills as business skills which one acquires to function
effectively in the turbulent business environment as an independent or
self-employed person in order to improve one’s economic status and the society
at large. The result of the study carried out by Okebukola (2006) confirmed
that most Nigerian graduates are deficient in self-reliance and entrepreneurial
skills. In a similar vein, Anyakoha (1997) as cited by Olumese and Clark (2011)
stressed that training for entrepreneurship skill development is not currently
well articulated by Nigerian universities. The importance of entrepreneurial
skill cannot be over-emphasized since appropriate skill acquisition through
entrepreneurship will help to make young school leavers’ to be self-reliant and
boost their economic states. Isike (2008) stated that entrepreneurship has been
identified globally and nationally as a tool for generating a sustainable
economy which is the core value of the National Economic Empowerment
Development Strategies (NEEDS). Uloko and Ejinkonye (2010) remarked that when
youths are empowered through the acquisition of entrepreneurial skills, there
is the possibility that they will use the skills to create new avenues for
wealth. Empowering the youths to set up businesses involves proper acquisition
of skills through education and training. In a study carried out by Egwanyenga
and Ranor (2012), the authors concluded that the entrepreneurial skills are:
managerial skills, accounting and financial competency skills, marketing and
sales, general business and human relations skills. The entrepreneurial skills
possessed by graduates are perceived in different ways by stakeholders.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Entrepreneurship education which is a sort of intervention
programme which was introduced into Nigeria’s tertiary education sub-sector in
2006 to remedy the unemployment challenge; and redirect the attention of our
youths/graduates towards job creation by instilling in them relevant
entrepreneurial skills that will positively grow and develop the economy. The
goals and objectives of the programme seem laudable and for these goals and
objectives to be achieved, some machinery has to be put in place. The relevance
of this programme in the curriculum of all tertiary institutions in Nigeria is
geared at creating an entrepreneurial culture and entrepreneurial spirits in
the students. Since the introduction of this programme, there seems to be
increase in graduates’ unemployment. For instance, the unemployment rate as at
2006 was 5.3 percent but as at 2011, it has risen up to 23.9 percent. Many
graduates seem to be roaming the streets in search for white collar jobs. The
rate of poverty, corruption and so many other social vices has become worrisome
to the government and to every well meaning citizen despite the introduction of
entrepreneurship education. This state of affair is of great concern to the
researchers and if this trend continues, it will leave no one in doubt to
question the relevance of entrepreneurship education in the school curriculum.
The main purpose of this research work was to find
out the perceptions of Business Education students on the relevance of
Entrepreneurship Education.
METHODOLOGY
DESIGN OF THE STUDY
This study adopted survey design since it was
basically an enquiry into the perceptions of Business Education students’ on
the relevance of Entrepreneurship Education in Colleges of Education in Edo
State. This is in agreement with Nworgu (1991) as cited in Omoroguiwa (2006)
that a research survey is one in which a group of people or items is studied by
collection and analyzing data from only a few people or items considered to be
representative of the entire population.
POPULATION OF THE STUDY
The population of this study consists of all year
three Business Education students that offered Entrepreneurship Education in
the Colleges of Education in Edo State. The total population was 810 students.
SAMPLE AND SAMPLING TECHNIQUE
The sample size for the study was 162 students
representing 20% of the population. The proportionate stratified random
sampling technique was used in drawing up the sample from the entire population
and which is considered to be representative of the whole population.
Table 1: Distribution of Population and Sample of
Business Education Students in Colleges of Education-Ekiadolor and College of
Education-Igueben
Institution
POPULATION OF BUSINESS EDUCATION STUDENTS
Sample Size of Business Education Students
College of Education, Ekiadolor 310 62
College of Education, Igueben 500 100
Total 810 162
Source: The Institutions’ Admission Officers
INSTRUMENTATION
The instrument used for this study was a structured
questionnaire. The questionnaire was used in eliciting information from the
respondent and it was titled: Business Education Students’ Perceptions of
Entrepreneurship Education Questionnaire (BESPEEQ).It was divided into two
parts – A and B. Part A consisted of the demographic variables of the
respondent while part B consists of five (5) sections with twenty six (26)
opinion statements designed in a 4-Point Rating Scale showing Strongly Agreed
(SA), Agreed (A), Disagreed (D) and Strongly Disagreed (SD).
VALIDITY OF THE INSTRUMENT
The instrument was subjected to content and face
validity. It was given to two experts in Measurement and Evaluation and
Business Education in the Faculty of Education, University of Benin (UNIBEN)
and their inputs to the draft instrument were incorporated into the final
questionnaire.
RELIABILITY OF THE INSTRUMENT
A test re – test method was used in establishing the
reliability of the questionnaire. The instrument was administered to twenty
(20) respondents in the population who were not part of the sample. It was
re-administered after two weeks on the same respondents. The two scores were
analyzed using Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Co-efficient (r) formula
and the reliability coefficient of 0.78 was obtained.
METHOD OF DATA COLLECTION
The researchers utilized the face to face method of
data collection. The researchers engaged the services of two (2) research
assistants who were exposed to a short training on how to go about the data
collection in the institutions for the study; copies of the questionnaire were
thereafter collated by the researchers.
METHOD OF DATA ANALYSIS
The descriptive statistics used included
frequencies, percentages, mean and standard deviation and they were used in
answering all the research questions, while t – test was used to analyze the
hypothesis formulated for the study at 0.05 level of significance. Any mean
value of 2.50 and above was considered as accepted while below 2.50 was
considered as rejected.
DATA ANALYSIS OF DEMOGRAPHIC DATA
The descriptive statistic adopted in analyzing the
demographic variable was the simple percentage (%).
Table 2: Examination of the Demographic Variable
Sex Number of Respondents Percentage of Respondents
Male 47 29.1
Female 115 70.99
Total 162 100
Source: Author’s field work
Table 2 shows that a total of 162 students
comprising of males and females responded to the questionnaire and a total of
forty seven (47) males responded to the questionnaire which represents a total
of 29.01% of the sample. A total of one hundred and fifteen (115) females
responded to the questionnaire which represented 70.99% of the sample.
Answering of research questions
This section was concerned with the analysis and
presentation of the data regarding the five questions. The descriptive
statistics used included mean and standard deviation; and the mean value of
2.50 was used in taking decision.
Research question one: To what extent is the
entrepreneurial skills acquired have relevance in starting up a business
venture?
Table 3: Examination of the Relevance of
Entrepreneurial skills in Entrepreneurship
N =162
S/N Entrepreneurial Skills Mean SD Decision
1. Possession of sound human relations’ skills has
relevance in setting up entrepreneurial venture. 3.33 0.76 Accepted
2. Managerial skills acquired have relevance in
ensuring entrepreneurial success. 3.43 0.76 Accepted
3. Accounting and financial competency skills
acquired have relevance in starting and managing an entrepreneurial venture.
3.40 0.71 Accepted
4. Marketing and sales skills possessed as a result
of Entrepreneurship Education has relevance in starting and managing a business
venture. 3.38 0.68 Accepted
5. General business skills possessed as a result of
Entrepreneurship Education has relevance in starting and managing a business
venture. 3.38 0.69 Accepted
Aggregate 3.39 0.72
Source: Researchers’ field work
The table 3 showed that all the mean scores are
above 2.50 which is the mean score for decision making. The highest mean score
of 3.43 was recorded in item 2 while the lowest mean score was recorded in item
1. The aggregate mean and standard deviation are 3.39 and 0.72 respectively.
Since the aggregate mean score is 3.39 and it is above the mean value of 2.50,
all the items are therefore accepted which means that entrepreneurial skills
have relevance in entrepreneurship.
Research Question Two: To what extent does
Entrepreneurship Education have relevance on economic development?
Table 4: Examination of the Influence of Skills and
Entrepreneurship Education on Economic
Development
N =162
S/N Influence of skill and Entrepreneurship
Education on Economic Development Mean SD Decision
6. Proper skill acquisition and Entrepreneurship
Education programmes can reduce the level of poverty in the country 3.42 0.81
Accepted
7. A well implemented Entrepreneurship Education
programmes can create more jobs in the country. 3.49 0.76 Accepted
8. A functional skill acquisition and
Entrepreneurship Education programme can reduce the unemployment rate in the
country. 3.28 0.77 Accepted
9. A well implemented Entrepreneurship Education
programme can reduce the level of insecurity/ restiveness resulting from
unemployment. 3.20 0.73 Accepted
10. A functional skill acquisition and
Entrepreneurship Education programme can accelerate the country’s Gross
Domestic Product (GDP). 3.43 0.67 Accepted
11. A well implemented Entrepreneurship Education
and skill acquisition programme can reduce the country’s dependency on other
countries in terms of goods and services. 3.38 0.69 Accepted
12. A well implemented Entrepreneurship Education
can boost the per capita income of the country. 3.40 0.68 Accepted
13. A well implemented Entrepreneurship Education
programme can raise the standard of living in the country. 3.44 0.77 Accepted
Aggregate 3.38 0.74
Source: Reserachers’ field work
Table 4 showed that all the mean scores are above
2.50 which is the mean score for decision making. The highest mean score of
3.49 was recorded in item 7, while the lowest mean score of 3.20 was recorded
in item 9. The aggregate mean and standard deviation were 3.38 and 0.74
respectively. Since the aggregate mean score is 3.38 and it is above the mean
value of 2.50, all the items were therefore accepted which means that skills
and entrepreneurship education have relevance on economic development.
Testing of hypothesis
This section was concerned with the analysis and
presentation of the data regarding the hypothesis. The independent t-test was
used in the analysis of the hypothesis with respect to the two samples. The
level of significance was 0.05. Any calculated t-value less than the critical
t-value led to the acceptance of the null hypothesis and vice versa.
Hypothesis (HO1): There is no significant difference
between the perceptions of male and female business education students on the
relevance of entrepreneurship education.
Table 5: Examination of the Perceptions of male and
female Business Education Students on the
relevance of Entrepreneurship Education
Sex
N
Mean
Level of significance
Degree of Freedom
t-test calculated
Critical
Table
Decision
Female
115
81.90
0.05
160
-0.1429
1.960
Not Significant (NS)
Male
47
85.34
162
Table 5 showed the t-test analysis of the data
collated. The mean value for females and males were 81.90 and 85.34
respectively and the calculated value of t is -0.1429. The critical value of t
at 0.05 level of significance and 160 degree of freedom is 1.960. Since the
calculated value of -0.1429 is less than the critical value of 1.960, the null
hypothesis (Ho) is therefore accepted. That is, there is no significant
difference between the perceptions of male and female business education
students on the relevance of entrepreneurship education at the colleges of
education.
DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS
The analysis of the research questions raised in the
study and the hypothesis have revealed some interesting findings that are worth
considering and discussing based on some relevant literature to either
corroborate or contradict the findings. They are discussed thus:
The analysis of research question one revealed that
entrepreneurial skills have relevance in entrepreneurship. It showed that the
possession of human relations, managerial and accounting skills acquired have
relevance in starting and managing an entrepreneurial venture. The findings
also stressed that the possession of marketing/sales skills and general
business skills possessed as a result of entrepreneurship education have
relevance in starting up and managing a business venture; and ensuring
entrepreneurial success. This finding is in agreement with Ewubare (2010) where
the author stressed that entrepreneurial skills have relevance in creating and
developing enterprises in various areas. The finding is also widely supported
by Akudolu (2010).
The analysis of research question two revealed that
skills and entrepreneurship education have influence on economic development.
The findings revealed great positive influence that a well-implemented and
functional entrepreneurship education can produce the needed economic
development. The findings showed that proper skill acquisition and
entrepreneurship education programmes can reduce the level of poverty in the
economy. This is in support of Ewubare (2011), Akpomi (2009), Kalirajan (2009)
and Ewhrudjakpor (2008). The authors stressed that entrepreneurship education
can help in addressing the level of poverty in the country by actively engaging
and empowering the graduates of educational system. In support of this finding,
Uloko and Ejinkonye (2010) remarked that when youths are empowered through the
acquisition of entrepreneurial skills, there is the possibility that they will
use the skills to create new avenues for wealth. The finding also showed that
entrepreneurship education has influence in creating more jobs thereby reducing
the level of unemployment in the country. This finding is in support of Akpomi
(2009), Adejimola and Olufunmilayo (2009). Akpomi (2006) stressed that the
essence of entrepreneurship education is to build in the students
entrepreneurship spirit and culture in order to bridge the gap between youth
unemployment and job creation. This finding also support Mbionwu (2008) where
the author stressed that when youths are given adequate training in skills,
they can be self-employed after schooling, hence they become active partners in
both community and national development. A well implemented entrepreneurship
education is capable of reducing youth restiveness resulting from unemployment.
This finding is in line with Babalola (2010) where the author stressed that the
insecurity is a fall out of poor skill acquisition and entrepreneurship
education programme.
The analysis of the hypothesis clearly showed that
there is no significant difference between the perceptions of male and female
business education students on the relevance of entrepreneurship education.
This finding may be as a result of the age level of the respondents or because
of the fact that they are all exposed to same teachings and orientation on
entrepreneurship education.
RECOMMENDATIONS
This investigation revealed outstanding findings and
based on that, the following recommendations are therefore made:
i. Government should provide accessible and
affordable loan facilities to graduates of the programme;
ii. there should be conscious efforts by educators
to properly transmit the entrepreneurial skills to the learners with ease;
iii. all bodies and stakeholders should ensure that
there is proper implementation of entrepreneurship education in order to
achieve its goals;
iv. there should be proper mentoring relationship
between successful entrepreneurs and would-be entrepreneurs so as to get
necessary assistance from the mentor; and
v. the learners should be given the needed support
and encouragement to produce goods and services in order to reduce dependency
ratio.
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