INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES FOR QUALITY BUSINESS EDUCATION PROGRAMME IN TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS IN ENUGU STATE THROUGH SCHOOL - INDUSTRY COLLABORATION FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

This study sought to assess the innovative strategies for quality business education programme in tertiary institutions in Enugu State through school – industry collaboration for economic development. It adopted the descriptive survey design. Two research questions and two hypotheses tested at 0.05 level of significance were used. Population consisted of 84 business education lecturers from universities and colleges of education in Enugu State. A validated questionnaire with reliability coefficients of 0.82 was used for data collection. Mean and standard deviation were used to analyze research questions while t-test was used to test the hypotheses. The study concluded that the innovative strategies for
establishingand sustaining school-industry collaboration in business education programme for economic development include formulation of government policies, involving industries in planning business education curriculum, research and training on how to establish school industry collaboration, adequate funding, effective communication of stakeholders, provision of infrastructures among others. There were no significant difference in the mean ratings of respondents on the strategies for establishing and sustaining school-industry collaboration for economic development. The study strongly recommended, among others, that government should formulate and implement strong policies that will encourage school-industry collaboration, government should provide tertiary institutions with enough funding for research and development and creation of a strong link with industries.

Keywords: Innovative strategies, Tertiary institutions, Industries, Business Education, Economic Development.