STAKEHOLDERS PERCEPTION OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION IN TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS IN ABIA STATE

Abstract

This study investigated stakeholders’ perception of how adequately Entrepreneurship Education (EE) is being implemented in tertiary institution in Abia state. The study used a descriptive survey design and was guided by three research questions and three hypotheses. It utilized a 36 item structured questionnaire for data collection. The instrument was structured on a four point modified lkert-typed scale and was validated and tested for reliability using the Crombach Alpha statistic which yielded a co-efficient of r = 0.81. It was administered on a stratified sample of 414 respondents which is made up of all the Entrepreneurship lecturers and 384 students of the three tertiary institutions offering (EE) using Taro Yamen’s formula and the stratified random sample technique mean and standard deviation was used to analyse the data to add. The result revealed that tertiary institutions in Abia State have been able to implement the national policy on entrepreneurship education, develop entrepreneurship skills among undergraduates to a moderate extent. The challenges that were found to be seriously inhibiting the adequate implementation of the programme include inadequate instructional facilities, laboratories and lecturers, inadequate time to cover the programme etc. Also, no significant differences were found between the mean perception of lectures and students on the extent of adequacy in implementation, skill development in students and the challenges to the adequate implementation of entrepreneurship education in tertiary institutions. Based on this evidence, it was concluded that the implementation of entrepreneurship education in tertiary institution in Abia State is not adequate to make graduates of these institutions self employed or employment creators. This is because the program has not been given the right attention by the government, the schools and even the students. The need for the relevant authorities to adequately equip entrepreneurship laboratories /workshops, engage well trained and qualified lecturers and encourages students with incentives like business starter packs were recommended.