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Empowering Nigeria Undergraduates on
Entrepreneurship Education for Job Creation and National Economic Development in Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki
Dr. (Mrs.) Uzoma Aja-Okorie
The study focused on the mandatory entrepreneurship education programme for undergraduate students of tertiary institutions in Nigeria with emphasis
on EBSU students. The aim of the research was to assess undergraduates’ entrepreneurial consciousness towards their willingness to engaging in entrepreneurship ventures giving their exposure to entrepreneurship education. Three research questions and three hypotheses guided the study. The population of the study was made up of undergraduates in the Faculty of Education in 2012/13 academic session. The sample size comprised of four hundred students. Instrument for data collection tagged, “Questionnaire on empowering Nigeria undergraduates on entrepreneurship education for economic national development (QENUEENED)”, was validated by three experts from the faculty and the reliability after test-retest coefficient yielded
0.78. The statistical tools used for data analysis were simple mean, standard deviations and t-test. W hile simple mean and standard deviation were used
to test the research questions, t-test was used to test the hypotheses. The findings showed that entrepreneurship education strengthens the right skills and attitudes to talented and non-talented students despite their gender. It equally favourably disposes male and female undergraduates towards establishing their own business. Based on the findings some recommendations were suggested which include among others that adequate facilities should be provided to strengthen the programme and committed lecturers to ensure progression in building the confidence of students exploit entrepreneurship ventures.
There is a great need for entrepreneurship development in Nigeria today, more than ever because of increasingly high level of unemployment. It is a common phenomenon to see our young school graduates roam the streets in search of jobs that hardly exist. This appears to be the scenario that have bedeviled many Nigeria youths. Nigeria economic woes have become a serious concern as people continue to live in abject poverty. The economic crunch arguably is exacerbated by effects of global economic meltdown. The availability of white-collar jobs compared to the massive turnout of graduates from universities as well as the Nigeria Youth Service Corp (NYSC), depicts a negative ratio. Available jobs can no longer meet the needs of the over one hundred tertiary schools in Nigeria (Federal, States, Private Universities, Polytechnics, Colleges of Education, etc). Hence, Nigeria government has decided to look inward of their domestic economy by looking away from foreign domination of the financial system, as well as a single product economy (crude oil) to engaging the minds of youths in tertiary institutions to entrepreneurial practices and experience through strategic entrepreneurial education. It was therefore no surprise that the Federal government of Nigeria, through the National Universities Commission (NUC), introduced Entrepreneurship Education (EE) which is aimed at equipping tertiary students with entrepreneurial skills, attitudes and competencies in order to be job creators and not just job hunters. The target of entrepreneurship education among Nigeria youths is basically to quell unemployment, by
generating employment among Nigerian youths especially the graduates and once again, place the economy on a proper footing (Aja-Okorie & Onele, 2013). If well articulated also it will go a long way to improving the economic, technological and industrial development of the nation, as well as to reduce poverty to its minimum. Generally speaking, this will help to build a virile and viable domestic economy that will be relatively immune from the financial and economic strangulations that may occur in the western world again.
Majority of academic and entrepreneurs in the country welcome this development of teaching and developing entrepreneurial studies in the minds of the undergraduates to prepare them for the wider world of opportunities to create jobs and ultimately become employers of labour in their respective capacities. This is so because entrepreneurship development has been regarded as the bulwark for employment generation and technological development in Nigeria.
More so, the twenty-first century has been tagged the "entrepreneurial age" globally. This is because nations are being shaped by entrepreneurs, men and women who have taken their destinies in their own hands by risking their resources (time, money and energy) in establishing and running their own businesses. Nigeria seems to have joined her global counterparts in this economic pursuit. Hence, both young men and women recently are increasingly building entrepreneurial spirits and venturing into small scale business ventures. This can be attested to judging
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from increasing volume of small scale business enterprises scattered all over the cities in the recent times.
Despite the fact that majority of women in Nigeria face various forms of systemic and structural discrimination which contend with the drive towards personal development (Aja-Okorie & Akumah, 2013), women still continue to thrive amidst stifle conditions. Contrary to the argument that gendered issues and culturally held bound assumptions that women should be domesticated (Aja- Okorie & Akumah, 2013), seem to be gradually fading as more women are refusing to be stigmatized. However, womenfolk in general are disadvantaged in the sphere of decision making, be it political, economic or social (Aja- Okorie, 2010). Gender can be referred to as a socio- culturally constituted term and do not prescribe to biological make ups of man and woman. Aja-Okorie & Akumah, (2013) maintained that education is a liberating tool that has the potency of empowering both men and women alike without prejudices against any gender. Government of Nigeria in the same vain has targeted university undergraduates and particularly with the recent trend on youth unemployment through integrating well package entrepreneurship development courses.
At the same time, many scholars have written widely on entrepreneurship and its potency to generate employment, thus, underscoring the quintessence, significance and relevance in the development of any given economy (Bolten
& Thompson, 2000; Zimmerer & Scarborough, 2006). The
experiences of developed economies in relation to the roles
played by entrepreneurship buttress the fact that the
importance of entrepreneurship cannot be overemphasized
especially among the developing countries. More so, its
significance in relation to the growth and development of a given economy, entrepreneurship has been variously referred to as a “source of employment generation” (Aja- Okorie & Onele, 2013). This is because entrepreneurial activities have been found to be capable of making positive impacts on the economy of a nation and the quality of life of the people (Adejumo, 2000). Studies have also established its positive relationship with stimulation of economic growth; employment generation; and empowerment of the disadvantaged segment of the population, which include youths, women and the poor (Aja-Okorie, 2010; Oluremi & Gbenga, 2011; Owuala & Obokoh, 2008; Thomas & Mueller, 2000; Reynolds, 1987).
Shane (2003) described entrepreneurship as the act of being an entrepreneur. The most obvious form of entrepreneurship to him is that of starting a new business. However, in recent years the term has been extended to cover such areas as socio-cultural, political, and educational forms of entrepreneurial activity. In today’s world, anybody, industry or business leader with innovative and creative business abilities is described as an entrepreneur or someone who engages in entrepreneurship (Okala, 2008).
The entrepreneur is the person venturing into the business of organizing and managing, entrepreneurship is the service rendered by the entrepreneur (Akanwa and Agu,
2005). These definitions view entrepreneurship as creating of a business opportunity and taking advantage of the scarce resources to meet with unlimited opportunities profitably. To this end, the entrepreneur is one who bears non- insurable risks and this directs the human and material resources to achieve economic, social, and financial goals of the enterprise. It can be described as being all about taking risks. He opined that the entrepreneur reflects a kind of person willing to put his or her career and financial security on the line and take risks in the name of an idea, spending much time as well as capital (wealth created in other to create further wealth) on an uncertain ventures. There is also the building and construction, where there are plan and design services and material sourcing (Okala, 2008). Aja-Okorie & Onele, (2013) affirmed that entrepreneurship development has the permanent cure for extreme hunger and poverty necessitated by unemployment hence economic displacement is one of the external forces that influence the development of entrepreneurship.
Nigeria as a country has numerous business and investment potentials due to the abundant, vibrant and dynamic human and natural resources it possesses. Tapping these resources require the ability to identify potentially useful and economically viable fields of endeavours. Nigerians have made their marks in diverse fields such as science, technology, academics, business and entertainment. These human and natural resources notwithstanding, Nigeria is still one of the poorest countries in the world and has one of the highest rates of youth unemployment in sub-Sahara Africa, and despite its alleged strong economic growth. Burger (2005) noted that youth’s full-time unemployment rate for 2006-2008 was 55.9 percent, 4 times higher (Salami, 2011). Many other countries have been able to energize and transform entrepreneurship sub-sector to such a vibrant one that they have been able to reduce to the barest minimum their unemployment and poverty level because of the immense contribution of the sub-sector to their economic growth and development, but such cannot be said of Nigeria (Onugu, 2005). Oduwaiye (2005) ascribed the need for entrepreneurship education in Nigerian tertiary schools to the dwindling ratio of the availability of white-collar jobs (popularly called “Office Work”). He concluded that all palliative measures by different governments in the past geared towards poverty eradication no matter their acclaimed nomenclatures have proved to be grossly ineffective in solving the problem of graduate employment which have assumed critical dimension in Nigeria, especially due to the proliferation of both public and private tertiary institutions.
This has foisted a state of hopelessness on majority of our young people who have resorted to any means including
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crime to succeed in life. They resort to vices because they are not gainfully engaged. In other words, they are unemployed; unemployed, not because they lack the qualification but because the system has been crippled politically, economically, socio-culturally and even religiously. People especially youths and graduates became displaced economically (Kuratko, 2009), a situation that clearly negates the objectives of Millennium Development Goals for 2015. The dexterity with which hunger and poverty have devastated lives and future ambition of youths especially graduates in Nigeria, have led to scholars prescribing some plausible strategies that can promote effective entrepreneurship that will help quell unemployment and thus generate employment for the Nigerian youths especially.
The recent mandatory entrepreneurship development course for all undergraduates of tertiary institutions in Nigeria therefore is a bold attempt at awakening the entrepreneurship consciousness of the Nigerian youths. The idea is that instead of thinking of writing applications for non- existent jobs, the average Nigerian will be thinking of how to be an employer of labour through the launching and growing of his or her own business enterprise. This effort is in recognition of the failure of existing schemes to fully address the problems of stimulating entrepreneurial consciousness among Nigerian youths. The goal of the entrepreneurship course is to equip students with entrepreneurial skills needed to own enterprises and sustain them. On the other hand, the general objectives includes, knowledge of the basic concepts and historical perspective of entrepreneurship, knowledge of and ability to prepare a business plan, financing options for the entrepreneur and understanding of management issues in entrepreneurship.
In Nigeria, tertiary institutions have been expanded to reach every sub region. The federal and state governments were previously the only bodies licensed to operate universities in Nigeria. Recently, licenses have also been granted to individuals, corporate bodies and religious bodies to establish private universities in Nigeria. Ebonyi State University (EBSU), Abakaliki is one of the State- owned universities in Nigeria. It was established in 1999 with the aim of empowering in particular Ebonyi men and women educationally. Since the establishment of EBSU, it has provided a template for fulfilling this dream. Recently, EBSU in an attempt to conform to NUC directive and benchmark on integrating entrepreneurship education into undergraduate programme of course of study has established a Directorate of Entrepreneurship Education. This directorate oversees implementation of well developed courses on entrepreneurship education which are on -going for two academic sessions now (2011/12 & 2012/13) with a view of equipping the minds of her undergraduates with relevant skills and attitudes towards engaging on entrepreneurial ventures on graduation. The curriculum
content covers two academic sessions that run through the second & third years, taken by all students in the entire university irrespective of their choice of courses of study. In other words, students through organized curriculum implementation cover a range of technical, vocational and trade related courses; receive classes, write examinations and are required to pass all the relevant registered courses before they are allowed to graduate from their main choices of courses of study.
The study therefore focused on the mandatory entrepreneurship education programme for undergraduate students of tertiary institutions in Nigeria with emphasis on EBSU students. Similarly, the fear that this initiative may fail like others of its kind has necessitated an inquiry into its effectiveness in instilling entrepreneurial consciousness among Nigerian youths. Thus, the purpose of the study was to achieve the following, which were to:
i. ascertain the strength of entrepreneurship education in imparting the right skills and attitudes to talented and non-talented students alike.
ii. determine the extent to which students exposed to entrepreneurial education are willing to undertake the establishment of their own enterprises.
iii. ascertain the extent to which entrepreneurship education influence male and female students in the of establishment of their own businesses
Based on the purposes of the study, the following hypotheses were proposed:
Ho1: Entrepreneurship education does not impact
entrepreneurial skills and attitudes in students.
Ho2: Entrepreneurship education does not favourably dispose students towards establishing own businesses.
Ho3: Entrepreneurship education does not favourably dispose male and female students differently towards establishing own business.
2. METHODOLOGY
The study was carried out in Ebonyi State University Abakaliki. The study was a descriptive research. It employed the survey method using the questionnaire as instrument for data collection. Instrument for data collection was a self-structured questionnaire tagged, “Questionnaire on Empowering Nigeria Undergraduates on Entrepreneurship Education for National Economic Development (QEUEENED). The instrument was validity by three experts from Faculty of Education, Ebonyi State
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University, Abakaliki. The test-retest reliability coefficient of the questionnaire was 0.78.
The population of the study was one thousand six hundred registered students. The sample size consisted of one hundred and eighty female and two hundred and twenty male undergraduates in the Faculty of Education in
2012/13 academic session. The stratified random sampling technique was used to select the sample of four hundred male and female students in the six departments in the faculty. First the sample size covered students from the six departments in the faculty from 2nd & 3rd year students. The main criterion for using 2nd and 3rd years was to ensure that they have been exposed to entrepreneurship education. However, purposive sampling technique was used in selecting the actual respondents based on their willingness to participate in the study and consenting to filling the questionnaire.
A total of 400 copies of the instrument were administered to sampled students in the pre-entrepreneurship classes in the faculty. The data collected were analyzed using simple mean, standard deviation and t- test. While mean and standard deviation were used on the 15 item questionnaire t-test was used on the hypotheses. For decision rule, a mean score of 2.5 and above were accepted whereas a mean score
How does entrepreneurship education strengthen the right skills and attitudes to talented and non-talented students alike? Table 1 shows the mean scores on how entrepreneurship educations strengthen the right skills and attitudes to talented and non-talented students. Male
students on items 2, 3, 4 and 5 with high mean scores of 3.0,
of below 2.5 were rated rejected. The t- test statistic was used in testing the three null hypotheses at 0.05 alpha levels.
The questionnaire consisted of 15 items that generated information on youth empowerment through entrepreneurship education as a tool for national economic development. The responses were measured on gendered bases, along a Likert four-point scale of;
Strongly Agree (SA) 4 points
Agree (A) 3 points Disagree (D) 2 points Strongly Disagree (SD) 1 point
2.7, 2. and 2.6 accordingly: they disagree on item 1, with low mean score of 2.1. Female students agree on items 2, 3,
4, and 4 with high scores of 2.7, 2.7, and 2.8 respectively; they disagree on items 1 and 5 with low mean scores of 2.3 and 1.8. The standard deviation shows that the responses do not vary much from the mean.
The aggregate mean scores of 2.54 for male students and
2.78 for female students are greater than the criterion mean of 2.5. Therefore, entrepreneurship education strengthens the right skills and attitudes to talented and non-talented students.
Item | Male Students | Female Students | ||||||
N | X | SD | DECISIO N | N | X | SD | DECISIO N | |
It equips students on how to apply appropriate managerial concepts in running the affairs of the business. | 220 | 2.1 | 1.4 | Rejected | 180 | 2.3 | 1.5 | Rejected |
Prepares students to discover latent entrepreneurship spirit in them | 220 | 3.0 | 1.7 | Accepted | 180 | 2.7 | 1.7 | Accepted |
Prepares students on how to undertake the formation of small scale business | 220 | 2.7 | 1.6 | Accepted | 180 | 2.7 | 1.7 | Accepted |
Provides the students with the basic | 220 | 2.7 | 1.6 | Accepted | 180 | 2.8 | 1.7 | Accepted |
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skills in forming partners in starting business
Exposes the students to where to source for loans
220 2.6 1.6 Accepted 180 1.8 1.6 Rejected
Aggregate mean 2.54 2.78
How do the students who are exposed to entrepreneurial education show willingness to undertake the establishment of their own enterprises? Table 2 shows the mean scores on how students who are exposed to entrepreneurial education show willingness to undertake the establishment of their own enterprises. Male students agree on items
6,7,8,9 and 10 with mean score of 3.0, 2.7, 3.0, 3.1, and 3.1
respectively. None disagreed. This is applicable to female
students with items 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 with mean scores of 3.1,
3.2, 3.0, 2.7 and 3.0. Therefore, standard deviation shows that responses vary title from the mean.
The aggregate mean scores of 3.0 for male students and 3.2 for female students are greater than the criterion mean of
2.5. Therefore, students who are exposed to entrepreneurial education show willingness to undertake the establishment of their own enterprises.
learned how to market
To what extent does entrepreneurship education influence male and female students in the establishment of their own businesses? Table 3 shows the mean scores on whether entrepreneurship education does not favourably dispose male and female students differently towards establishing own business. Male students agree on items 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 with mean scores of 3.1, 2.7, 2.6, 2.7 and 2.7 accordingly. Female students agree on items 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15, with mean scores of 3.0, 2.7, 2.8, 2.9 and 2.9
respectively. Based on the assortment, the standard deviation of the responses does not vary significantly from the mean.
Therefore, with the aggregation of mean of 2.54 for male students and 2.79 for female students, which is greater than the criterion mean of 2.5, entrepreneurship education does not favourably dispose male and female students differently towards establishing own business.
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N N
Boys and girls are favourably disposed to starting a business | 220 | 3.1 | 1.8 | Accepted | 180 | 3.0 | 1.7 | Accepted |
Boys and girls are well disposed to marketing their business ideas Boys and girls are exposed to | 220 220 | 2.7 2.6 | 1.6 1.6 | Accepted Accepted | 180 180 | 2.7 2.8 | 1.7 1.6 | Accepted Accepted |
alternative business skills Boys and girls are equipped to source | 220 | 2.7 | 1.6 | Accepted | 180 | 2.9 | 1.7 | Accepted |
for business partners Boys and girls are disposed to starting | 220 | 2.7 | 1.6 | Accepted | 180 | 2.9 | 1.7 | Accepted |
similar business ventures Aggregate mean | 2.54 | 2.79 |
Gender N X ₷ p-value critical value t-calculate Remarks Male 220 2.54 1.59 0.05 1.96 1.7 Accepted Female 180 2.78 1.79
From the result of Table 4, there is no significant difference between male and female students on their on their perception on how entrepreneurship education strengthen the right skills and attitudes to talented and non-talented students.
Table 4, shows the shows the mean score difference between male and female students in their perception on how entrepreneurship education strengthen the right skills and attitudes to talented and non-talented students. The
result shows that there is no significant difference between the score of male and female students in their perception on how entrepreneurship education strengthens the right skills and attitudes to talented and non-talented students. This is evidenced from the fact that t-calculated value of 1.72 is less than the t-tabulated value of 1.96 at 0.05 significant levels. Therefore, there is no significant difference between male and female students in their perception on how entrepreneurship education strengthens the right skills and attitudes to talented and non-talented students.
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Gender N X ₷ p-value critical value t-calculate Remarks Male 220 3.0 1.73 0.05 1.96 1.42 Accepted Female 180 3.2 1.78
From the above result, there is no significant difference between male and female students on how students who are exposed to entrepreneurial education show willingness to undertake the establishment of their own enterprises.
The table 5, shows the shows the mean score difference between male and female students in their perception on how students who are exposed to entrepreneurial education show willingness to undertake the establishment of their own enterprises. The result shows that there is no
significant difference between the score of male and female students in their perception on how students who are exposed to entrepreneurial education show willingness to undertake the establishment of their own enterprises. This is evidenced from the fact that t-calculated value of 1.42 is less than the t-tabulated value of 1.96 at 0.05 significant levels. So, there is no significant difference between the score of male and female students in their perception on how students who are exposed to entrepreneurial education show willingness to undertake the establishment of their own enterprises.
Gender N X ₷ p-value critical value t-calculate Remarks
Male 220 2.54 1.59 0.05 1.96 1.45 Accepted
Female 180 2.79 1.67
From the above result, there is no significant difference between male and female students on whether entrepreneurship education does not favourably dispose male and female students differently towards establishing own business.
Table 6, shows the mean score difference between male and female students in their perception on whether entrepreneurship education does not favourably dispose male and female students differently towards establishing own business. The result shows that there is no significant
difference between the score of male and female students in their perception on how students who are exposed to entrepreneurial education show willingness to undertake the establishment of their own enterprises. This is evidenced from the fact that t-calculated value of 1.45 is less than the t-tabulated value of 1.96 at 0.05 significant levels. So, there is no significant difference between the score of male and female students in their perception on whether entrepreneurship education does not favourably dispose male and female students differently towards establishing own business.
From the general overview of the findings to this study, the students’ perception on how entrepreneurship
educations can be used to strengthen the right skills and attitudes to talented and non-talented students is on affirmative side. The belief that when undergraduates are exposed to the concepts, principles and theories of
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entrepreneurship, their entrepreneurial skills and spirits will be fired to ginger them into thinking how to create jobs for themselves and in turn others rather than being job seekers. The finding gives credence to the assumptions of Drucker (1983), Botlen & Thompson (2000) that innovation is a function of entrepreneurship.
Having been armed with techniques of entrepreneurship through exposure to relevant knowledge and skills, the finding indicated readiness to put into reality or action what they have been taught and what they have learned. The finding showed also that the undergraduates have grasped some level of entrepreneurial attitudes, abilities and related skills. This is in consonant with Gizhang & Matlay, 2003; European Commission, 2002 & Erkilla, 2000) who maintained that entrepreneurial skills can be developed via education and training
There exists a consensus among scholars that entrepreneurship education and training has a vital role to play in equipping an individual with tools to survive in the world of business. It can help individuals to develop or implement innovative social or business plans (Nnazor,
2005; Gouws, 2002 & Owuala, 1999). The findings indicated that the perceptions of male and female undergraduate students who are exposed to entrepreneurial education did not differ significantly on their desire to own or run a business. This supports the Aja-Okorie, & Akumah (2013) that education is a liberating tool that has the potency to bridge gender gap in sphere of things.
However, the finding on the perception of students on the entrepreneurship education programme activities depicts lack of managerial know-how on how to apply appropriate managerial concepts in running the affairs of business. This result leans credence to Chanran & Useni (2002) who averred that lack of management know-how manifests in poor financial control, weak marketing effort and improper inventory control among others. It can be deduced that attention needs to be redirected to appropriate managerial concepts and principles in the course of study to train students adequately on running the affairs of any business.
The highest pool of potential workforce for the nation and economic development is its students. Integrating entrepreneurship education in the curriculum studies for undergraduates is one of the surest ways of boosting entrepreneurship skills and relevant attitudes for entrepreneurial participation in future. The findings of this study are clear indication that undergraduates are aware of the value of developing entrepreneurship spirits. The findings indicate that if entrepreneurship education is
maximized it has the potential of making students become self reliant. Their perceptions can be used as a measure of quality assurance for Entrepreneurship Education in university programmes. Students’ perceptions confirm that entrepreneurship is a rave of the moment which underscores the recent attention given to entrepreneurship education targeting university undergraduates of tertiary institutions in Nigeria. The belief that when students are exposed to the concepts, principles and theories as well as relevant practical activities on entrepreneurship, they will be mentally equipped to undertake entrepreneurial ventures on graduation. The course will not only motivate them but will also open their eyes to latent entrepreneurial talents within them and enable them to spot and exploit business opportunities. Similarly, students will develop the confidence that a successful application of these will enable them succeed in business. The study therefore revealed that a blend of theoretical, practical and experimental approaches to entrepreneurship will be the most encouraged to undergraduates in the universities.
- Tertiary institutions must be encouraged to demonstrate high level of commitment to entrepreneurship education. Lectures must be more practical oriented with adequate enlarged course content to accommodate wide range of related entrepreneurship courses. As abstract concepts of entrepreneurship education are taught to students, there must be commensurate practical supplements. In other words, entrepreneurship activity combines teaching with experiential exercises. This would create variety of choices and prepare potential students for business realities in life.
- All stakeholders in the society such as parents,
school administrators and the general public need
to be conscientized to support mandatory entrepreneurship education for university undergraduates by encouraging their wards. The university management can appeal for financial assistance through endowments and donations.
- The government must equip schools adequately with relevant practical oriented activities to boost entrepreneurship education in universities. It must create entrepreneurship agencies for collaboration with the universities.
- Both government and private business owners should provide business opportunities for students’ industrial training as basis for supporting the mandatory entrepreneurship education. They should support compulsory industrial training programmes for students.
- The government should provide soft loans for willing graduates to start off their businesses.
- The government and private owners of business conglomerates should be gender friendly to
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prospective young men and women in the business world. This can be achieved by creating an enabling social environment for up-coming business men and women.
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Dr. (Mrs.) Uzoma Aja-Okorie is a Senior Lecturer in the
Department of Educational Foundations, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria. Phone No. +2348136494838