ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION: A VEHICLE FOR EMPOWERMENT AND EMPLOYMENT GENERATION

Abstract

This study focused on entrepreneurship education as a vehicle for empowerment and employment generation in Nigeria. Three research questions guided the study and two null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. A descriptive survey research method was adopted. The population consisted
of 216 business educators. A structured questionnaire was used for the data collection. The instrument was validated by three experts in business education from Department of Vocational Education all in Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. The reliability of the instrument was ensured using test re-test
technique. Data collected were analyzed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Co-efficient formula which yielded reliability co-efficient of 0.78. Data related to the research questions were analyzed using mean and standard deviation, while ANOVA was used to test the null hypotheses at 0.05
level of significance. Findings arising from the study revealed that the increasing global phenomenon and awareness on entrepreneurship education will enhance the acquisition of the necessary skills for empowerment and self-employment. It was concluded that entrepreneurship education contributes to the development and growth of the national economy, empowerment, and generation of employment opportunities for the teaming school leavers. It was recommended that people should develop the belief that one can succeed in, and have the ability deal efficiently and effectively with unemployment situations through the acquisition of requisite entrepreneurial skills and knowledge. That adequate
funding of entrepreneurship education should be made available by both to the government and private sectors to help in the production of skilled youths who will drive the employment wheel in the society.

KEYWORDS: Education, entrepreneurship, entrepreneurship education, empowerment, employment and Nigeria.