A SURVEY OF RELEVANCE OF BUSINESS EDUCATION PROGRAM ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF ADOLESCENTS ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY

It is the desire of every society to achieve a sustainable level of economic development. This could be possible through embarking on entrepreneurial activities by the citizens of society. This is because the public sector can not single-handedly drive the desired level of development. Furthermore, the success of a society in entrepreneurship depends on skills (education) acquired by its members. Education on this note is obviously the basic instrument for economic development and technological advancement of any society. It is in recognition of this fact that most governments around the world commit immense resources to ensure the provision of education for their citizens and also tailor policies towards ensuring that it is made accessible to the generality of their citizenry (Jones, C., & English, J. (2004). However, entrepreneurship skills depend more on enrollment through business education. Business education has been defined by (Hattab, H. 2014) as an essential element of general business education. It is concerned with the impartation of business orientation and knowledge for personal and national development.

This is due to the fact that business education fosters creativity while also providing a person with relevant skills that will enable him to perform better in his chosen career.

One of the major objectives of business education is to provide technical competencies to adolescents and undergraduates to have a successful career as a professional (McVay, Murphy, & Yoon, 2008). Curriculum content in the field of business provides a theoretical framework beneficial for understanding business management and, at the same time, provides adolescents and youths with the knowledge, skills, and techniques arguably indispensable to starting up and managing businesses effectively (Venter, 2001). Entrepreneurship can serve as a career path diverging from employment provided that prior skill sets in the area of self-employment have been inculcated (Hattab, 2014; Saberi & Hamdan, 2018). In actuality, equipping business students to be self-employed is one of the effective solutions to addressing the surfeit of graduates with business majors given that the labor market in most countries’ economy can not absorb them purely in the capacity of professionals just like in the case of Nigeria.

Based on the presentation above, it is obvious that business education could lead to the development of entrepreneurial skills among adolescents and youths in Nigeria and indeed all the countries of the world. This is due to the fact that, based on the content of business education, it has the potential to equip recipients with skills in Book-keeping/Accounting, Business management, Marketing, Business communication, records management, and so on, all of which are required for the promotion and survival of business enterprises.It is thus, against this background, that this epistle looks at the importance of business education in the development of entrepreneurial skills among adolescents in Nigeria.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Business education has been described as an ‘education for business and about business’ which could make a person perform well as an entrepreneur. This is due to the fact that it equips the recipients with skills which are needed for business success. The essentials of business education can not be overemphasis. Considering the increasing level of joblessness and unemployment in Nigeria and the observed vexatious economic downturn, it is an idea to reinforce students' enrollment in business education so as to help reduce citizens' reliance on the government. The case of an unpalatable increase in unemployment in Nigeria has led a good number of its citizens into participating in a variety of criminal acts. However, (Rae, D. 2006) observed that business education was envisioned for equipping students with entrepreneurial skills in order to promote self-reliance, but this vision has not been adequately realized in Nigeria, as students continue to graduate void of business skills, resulting in an overflow of jobless citizens in the labor market.This, however, can be attributed to teachers' incompetence, students' attitudes toward the subject, a lack of adequate teaching and learning materials, and a lack of government support and motivation.

1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The primary aim of this study is to examine the relevance of business education in the development of entrepreneurial skills by adolescents. Hence the specific objectives include;

1. Examine if there is any significant relationship between business education and the development of entrepreneurial skills.

2. Examine the factors affecting students performance and achievement in business education.

3. Examine the extent to which business education can aid the acquisition of entrepreneurial skills by adolescent students

1.4 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

The following hypothesis were formulated to actualize accurate result for this study.

Ho1: There is no significant relationship between business education and the development of entrepreneurial skills by adolescents.

Ho2: Business education can aid the acquisition of entrepreneurial skills by adolescent students in a very low extent.

1.5  SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The findings of this study will educate and apprise the general public on the essentials of business education and its ability to equip adolescence and other individuals with entrepreneurial skills with a view of drawing the interest of youths and adolescence towards enrolling through business education to help them establish self reliance.

Furthermore, this research will contribute to the body of literature in the field of business education and the development of entrepreneurial skills, making it relevant to readers, students, researchers, and other academics..

1.7  LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

This study is subject to the limitations and challenges that come with any research that uses questionnaires, such as noncompliance of some respondents and insufficient information about the problem under investigation. Finally, financial and time constraints were also some of the challenges that pose a lot of limitations on the scope of this study.

1.8  DEFINITIONS OF TERMS

Education: Education is the process of facilitating learning, or the acquisition of knowledge, skills, values, morals, beliefs, and habits. Educational methods include teaching, training, storytelling, discussion and directed research.

Business Education: Business  education  is  an  aspect  of  total  educational  programme  which provides  the  recipient with knowledge,  skills,  understanding  and attitude needed  to  perform well  in the  business  world as  a  producer  or  consumer  of goods  and  services.

Entrepreneurial Skills: These are skills which are relevant for the effective setting-up and management businesses.