ICTMBE 2013

2nd International Conference on Technology Management , Business and Entrepreneurship 2013

Mahkota Hotel Melaka Malaysia
5th December 2013
ISSBN 978-967-0468-56-3

The Perception of Students Towards Entrepreneurship Courses:

An Empirical Study of Nigerian Polytechnics Students

Sulaiman Mohammed Lame, Wan Fauziah Wan Yusoff

Faculty of Technology Management and Business
Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia.
1
[email protected] , [email protected],

Abstarct
The teaching of entrepreneurship in polytechnics can give students the basic skills,
knowledge and attitude to start their own businesses after graduation. This study investigates
the Nigerian students perception and their inclinations towards entrepreneurship courses in
the Nigerian polytechnics. The main focus of the paper is to analyse and evaluate the
relationship between entrepreneurship education and Nigerian polytechnics students
perception towards the entrepreneurship education courses. The introduction of
entrepreneurship education as compulsory course in the Nigerian polytechnics is seen as a
strong measure to address the problem of polytechnics graduate unemployment and
encourage new start-up. A descriptive study was conducted in three Nigerian polytechnics. A
total of 700 questionnaires were administered and 370 were returned. The questionnaires
were designed to analyse students perception and inclinations. Based on the data collected
and analysed, it was discovered that two variables were found to have significant relationship
with entrepreneurship education. However, it was also gathered from the study that there are
various challenges facing entrepreneurship like inadequate funding, very few trained
entrepreneurship lecturers and lack of enabling environment as some of the reasons for low
entrepreneurial activities in our institutions. The paper concludes by making
recommendations on how to improve entrepreneurship education courses in order to achieve
the desired objectives of the programs.
Keywords: Entrepreneurship, entrepreneurship education, student, skills, knowledge, attitude.

227
 ICTMBE 2013
2nd International Conference on Technology Management , Business and Entrepreneurship 2013
Mahkota Hotel Melaka Malaysia
5th December 2013
ISSBN 978-967-0468-56-3

Introduction

Historically, entrepreneurship education was the domain of management and business

economics teachers. Increasingly other study domains like engineering, information
technology (IT), and the health sector have acknowledged the added value of fostering
entrepreneurial skills, knowledge and attitude among their students (Shane
&Venkaraman,2000). However, the aims of entrepreneurship education change rapidly
depending on the demands that directly affect educational system.

Entrepreneurship has been seen as an important component within contemporary

economic development of a nation. Its critical role to the economy of nations is now widely
acknowledged as a major source of innovation, job creation and growth. The European
Commission (2003) suggested that entrepreneurship is a major driver of innovation,
competitiveness and economic strength of a modern nation. They further emphasize the
important role which education has in the development of entrepreneurial mindsets and
talents.
In recent years, academic institutions have been called upon to contribute to the
development of entrepreneurship programmes through formal education and training.
Therefore, considerable academic efforts have focused upon entrepreneurship education in
helping the field to develop and to gain momentum. These efforts have paid off and
entrepreneurship education by the year 2004 it was taught at more than 1500 colleges and
universities around the world, Richard, (2005).
In Nigeria, the need to ensure that the present effort at turning out graduates, who will
not only be self reliant but employers of labour cannot be over emphasized. In order to
achieve this, the Federal Government of Nigeria, through the National Board for Technical
Education (NBTE), introduced Entrepreneurship Education (E.E) in all Nigerian
Polytechnics, which is aimed at equipping students with entrepreneurial skills, attitudes and
competencies in order to be job providers and not job seekers. This is to improve the
economic, technological and industrial development of the nation and reduce poverty Okala,
O.F. (2008).

Literature Review
Entrepreneurship
Throughout the theoretical history of entrepreneurship, scholars and researchers from
multiple disciplines such as anthropology, Economics, Management and sociology
(Reynolds, 1991) have grappled with a diverse set of interpretations and definitions to
conceptualize this abstract idea. A further search of the literature also reveals that researchers
have been inconsistent in their definition of entrepreneurship. There are a minimum of a
hundred definitions to explain the concept of entrepreneur and entrepreneurship. Their
meanings depend on when they were devised and on the society in which the various
researchers developed them (Di-Masi, 1999).
In the last century, many writers as cited in Burnet, (2000) have identified
entrepreneurship with the function of uncertainty and risk bearing and others with the
coordination of productive resources, the introduction of innovation and the provision of
technical know-how. The early 18th century French economist Richard C. (1755) introduced

228
 ICTMBE 2013
2nd International Conference on Technology Management , Business and Entrepreneurship 2013
Mahkota Hotel Melaka Malaysia
5th December 2013
ISSBN 978-967-0468-56-3

the term entrepreneurship. In his writings, he formally defines the entrepreneur as the agent
who buys means of production at certain prices in order to combine them into a new product.
He further defines entrepreneurship as self-employment of any sort where the entrepreneur is
the bearer of uncertainty and risk. Shortly thereafter, the French economist Jean B. S, (1824)
also defined the entrepreneur as someone who shifts economic resources out of an area of
lower to an area of higher productivity and greater yield Adegbite et al, (2007).
Shane (2003) described entrepreneurship as the act of being an entrepreneur. The
word entrepreneur which is a French word means one who undertakes innovations, finance
and business acumen in an effort to transform innovations in economic goods. He continued
that the result of entrepreneurship may be a new organization or a part of revitalizing mature
organization in response to a perceived opportunity. 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. As a result when large companies venture into entrepreneurial
activities within the organization, it is described as intrapreneurship or corporate spin-
off.
In todays 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). While 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).

Entrepreneurship Education
Entrepreneurship education is a recent trend in new course development as against the
traditional courses that have gained formal recognition in higher-level institutions.
Entrepreneurship courses are now finding their ways into formal education as subjects or full
degree courses in the tertiary level. Unlike traditional business courses, which have
developed and evolved over many decades in universities all over the world in conjunction
with active practicing business operations, formal entrepreneurship teaching in the tertiary
level is a relatively young course Gatchalian, M.L, (2010). She was also of the view that
Entrepreneurship education is, by nature, highly experiential and interactive. Course
requirements are mostly output and result oriented, prototype development, hands-on training
and other practical applications that require mentoring and close monitoring of students
progress at each developmental stage.
Entrepreneurship Education seeks to provide student with the knowledge, skills and
motivation to encourage entrepreneurial studies in a variety of setting. The entrepreneurship
education is the type of education designed to change the orientation and attitude of the
recipients, and in the process will equip him with the skills and knowledge to enable him start
and manage a business enterprise. This type of education aims at developing the requisite
entrepreneurial skills, attitudes competences and dispositions that will predispose the
individual to be a driving force in managing a business (Agu, 2006).
The Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education (2008)states that entrepreneurship
education is not just about teaching someone to run a business, it is also about encouraging
creative thinking and promoting a strong sense of self-worth and empowerment. Through
entrepreneurship education, students learn how to create business, but they also learn a lot
more. The core knowledge created via entrepreneurship education includes the ability to
recognize opportunities in ones life, also the ability to pursue opportunities, by generating

229
 ICTMBE 2013
2nd International Conference on Technology Management , Business and Entrepreneurship 2013
Mahkota Hotel Melaka Malaysia
5th December 2013
ISSBN 978-967-0468-56-3

new ideas and found the needed recourses. It is the ability to create and operate a new firm,
and the ability to think in a creative and critical manner.
Garavan and OCinneide (1994) suggest a range of commonly cited objectives of
entrepreneurship education, which include the acquiring knowledge relevant to
entrepreneurship, skills in the use of techniques, in the analysis of business situations and in
the synthesis of action plans. It also identifies and stimulates entrepreneurial drive, talent and
skills, undoing the risk-adverse bias of many analytical techniques. The developing empathy
and support for the unique aspects of entrepreneurship, devising attitudes towards change,
encouraging new start-ups and entrepreneurial ventures; and stimulating the affective
socialisation element. They conclude that the multiplicity of objectives constitutes a
significant problem for programme design. Garavan & OCinneide (1994) opined that for
entrepreneurship education to be effective, it must contain both factual knowledge and
practical applications. This implies that some courses should aim at imparting theoretical
knowledge while others should aim at building practical skills.
As evident from various literatures, emphasis on entrepreneurship education began to
gain significance from early 1990s, led by institutions in European, Asian and African
countries. It suggested that entrepreneurial support systems be enhanced by university and
polytechnic based entrepreneurial education programs. Since then, education in
entrepreneurship has been expended to include the development of an entrepreneurial culture,
promote enterprise, create new ventures and foster entrepreneurial mindsets through
education and learning. This new paradigm has enabled the next generations to see things
from a different perspective. Rather than hunt for opportunities in the job markets, they create
a mindset to develop entrepreneurship capabilities and self-made wealth, (Fauziah, 2012).

Entrepreneurial Skills
Skill is thought of as a quality of performance which does not depend solely upon a persons
fundamental, innate capacities but must be developed through training, practice and
experience. Although skill depends essentially on learning, it also includes the concepts of
efficiency and economy in performance. Modern concepts of skill stress the flexibility with
which a skilled operator reaches a given end on different occasions according to precise
circumstances. However, it must be reiterated that even though basic human capacities are
not sufficient to produce skills, they form the necessary basis of their development. Skills
represent particular ways of using capacities in relation to environmental demands, with
human being and external situation together forming a functional system Adegbite et
al,(2007).
Gibb (1998) refers to entrepreneurial core skills as those capacities that constitute the
basic necessary and sufficient conditions for the pursuitof effective entrepreneurial behaviour
individually, organisationally and societal in an increasinglyturbulent and global
environment. Drawing from the literature on the characteristics on entrepreneurship, Gibb
(1998) argues that entrepreneurial skills that should be taught, include intuitive decision
making, creative problem solving, managing interdependency on a know-who basis, ability to
conclude deals, strategic thinking, project management, time management, persuasion,
selling, negotiation and motivating people by setting an example. These skills are based on
several underlying qualities, such as self-confidence, self awareness, a high level of
autonomy, an internal locus of control, a high level of empathy with stakeholders, especially
customers, a hard working disposition, a high achievement orientation, a high propensity to
take (moderate) risks and flexibility.

230
 ICTMBE 2013
2nd International Conference on Technology Management , Business and Entrepreneurship 2013
Mahkota Hotel Melaka Malaysia
5th December 2013
ISSBN 978-967-0468-56-3

Entrepreneurial Knowledge
According to kirzner, (1979) entrepreneurial knowledge is defined as a rarefied abstract type
of knowledge - the knowledge of where to obtain information (or other resources) and how to
deploy it. Acquired knowledge generates routines and decisional procedures. This shows
how enterprising individuals continuously develop their entrepreneurial knowledge
throughout their professional lives.
When learning is understood as a learners conscious knowledge formation process
which takes place in a certain cultural and social context, knowledge is considered to be an
object, which has certain characteristics enabling it to be used when internal cognitive models
are being built. These models are born as a consequence of learning. They distinguish two
different modes of producing knowledge. They make a distinction between academic
scientific knowledge and the knowledge born in situations originating from the need to solve
practical and application problems. The concepts of expert knowledge, know-how, tacit
knowledge and intuition are important in contexts relating to application. Professionalism
requires making tacit knowledge explicit and developing it further in a triadic interaction
process between students, teachers and working life, Kirby, (2002).

Entrepreneurial Attitude
In entrepreneurship context, attitude has been defined as the extent to which one
perceives entrepreneurial behaviour and its consequences as valuable, beneficial and
favourable (Azen,2002). Robinson, et al., (1991) identified four dimensions for
entrepreneurial attitude including need for achievement, personal control over behaviour,
innovation, and self-esteem. Need for achievement reflects the perceived results and
outcomes of new venture creation (Hansemark,1998). Personal control over entrepreneurship
behaviour is individuals perceived control and influence on venture creation outcomes.
Innovation is thinking of new ideas, products and methods and developing them to be
effective in practice. Finally, self-esteem indicates individuals perceived confidence in their
entrepreneurial competence. Each of the entrepreneurial attitude aspects is measured in three
dimensions including affection (feeling and emotion), cognition (thought and belief), and
conation (action and behaviour). It is the combination of all these dimensions that constructs
individuals general attitude toward entrepreneurial behaviour. Teachers should possess an
entrepreneurial attitude to improve students' entrepreneurial motivation and competencies
(Peltonen, 2008). Yet, research on entrepreneurial attitude has been mostly focused on
measuring students attitudes toward entrepreneurship (Harris and Gibson, 2008) and there is
little information about entrepreneurial attitudes of teachers.
Attitudes are habitual ways of reacting to situations. The term attitude is generally
reserved for an opinion which represents a persons overall inclination towards an object,
idea or institution. Attitudes can be positive, negative or neutral and also dormant & more
generalized. The attitude of the teacher toward teaching is an important variable. The primary
attribute of a good teacher is the ability to create a warm, friendly atmosphere in the
classroom. Teaching should be geared to the needs of the child. The teacher must have a
positive attitude toward teaching. He must have sympathetic attitudes toward children. The
teacher must try to locate the causes of antisocial behaviour and help the children to improve
their personality (Chouhan, 1984).

231
 ICTMBE 2013
2nd International Conference on Technology Management , Business and Entrepreneurship 2013
Mahkota Hotel Melaka Malaysia
5th December 2013
ISSBN 978-967-0468-56-3

Entrepreneurship Education in Nigeria

The history of Nigeria education system could be traced back to the colonial period, the
educational policy then was geared toward serving the interest of the colonial masters in term
of supply of manpower for their effective administration of Nigeria colony and protectorates
(Aladekomo, 2004). The policy was aimed at producing Nigerians who can read and write to
hold certain positions such as clerks, interpreters, and inspectors etc. Without any
entrepreneurial or professional skill to stands on their own or even establish and manage their
own venture. The Nigeria industrial policy that came immediately after independence place
emphasis and concentrated attention on the establishment of big companies by completely
neglecting the development of small scale sectors (Aladekomo, 2004). This neglect
invariably means killing entrepreneurship at the micro level in Nigeria at the very beginning,
which is considered to be a very essential for economic growth and development. The over
pressing demand for white collar job for majority of graduates is just an upshot of colonial
educational policies as was cited by Garba, (2010).
Moreover, with the growing number of students coming out from various institutions
into labour market, if some measures are not taken there is every tendency that the situation
can escalate the rate of poverty and corruption and other social crime especially among
youth. Hence it is hoped that in the first place, the government should encourage a
diversification of the economy through adequate support for private establishments and
practical acquisition of skills in all higher institutions. It is against this backdrop that the need
to redefined and refocus the current system of education with a view to create and enhance
the supply of entrepreneurship initiatives and activities in Nigerian Institutions of Higher
Learning, (Akpomi 2008).
The Federal Government in the 2004 directed all tertiary education regulatory
agencies (National Universities Commission, National Board for Technical Education, and
National Commission for Colleges of Education) to establish necessary mechanisms for the
introduction, development and sustenance of entrepreneurial culture among Nigerian youths.
This paved the way for a well-planned and implemented Entrepreneurship Education
Programme in Higher Education Institutions in Nigeria,(This Day, 2007).
In line with the federal governments directives on entrepreneurship education, the
National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), the supervisory body of all Nigerian
Polytechnics, developed the curriculum, teachers guide and training manuals for
entrepreneurship education for the National and Higher National Diploma. The NBTE has in
particular designed three courses, Introduction to Entrepreneurship, Practice of
Entrepreneurship at diploma level and Entrepreneurship Development at HND level, to all
Polytechnics under its jurisdiction. Master Trainers were organised locally and
internationally to boost in- house capacity of polytechnics lecturers competencies in the
management of the entrepreneurship study centres (ESC) set up, This Day,(2007)

Problem Statement

Entrepreneurship education is an increasingly popular disciplinary area at all

education levels. Usually offered within schools of business management, growth over the
last 30 years has been phenomenal. The rationale for offering courses in Entrepreneurship has
often been to raise awareness of entrepreneurship as a career option, to motivate students to
consider a venturing career, and also to provide students with the knowledge and skills to
venture (Menzies 2011). Teachers are seen as the key promoters of entrepreneurship

232
 ICTMBE 2013
2nd International Conference on Technology Management , Business and Entrepreneurship 2013
Mahkota Hotel Melaka Malaysia
5th December 2013
ISSBN 978-967-0468-56-3

education. However, despite its growth and importance, there is a lack of relevant studies in
this context. Moreover, there is a lack of tools which could enhance the development of
entrepreneurial skills and knowledge among the polytechnics students. The study will be
conducted to serve as a basis for the future development of entrepreneurship programmes in
our polytechnics.

Students motivation, learning and achievement can highly be influenced by teachers

tendency and ability to teach effectively (Bayraktar 2011). To improve students
entrepreneurial learning and competencies, therefore, they should be taught by qualified
teachers who have a positive attitude toward entrepreneurship and a strong sense of
entrepreneurial skills and knowledge (Peltonen 2008). Bird, (1995) suggests that it is worth
looking at education as an important factor that could influence the development of
entrepreneurial competencies among polytechnics graduates in Nigeria.
Despite the growing importance of entrepreneurship education, the effectiveness of
teaching techniques for entrepreneurship graduate is still unknown. According to Kirby
(2002) the teaching of entrepreneurship remains relatively underdeveloped, despite the
growing demand for more entrepreneurial-oriented graduates. Furthermore, Binks et, al.,
(2006) also argued that understanding and developing entrepreneurship education requires an
integrated research. Peltonen (2008) emphasizes that it is vital for teachers to become more
entrepreneurial if entrepreneurial learning should be improved among students. Particularly,
teachers need to act in an entrepreneurial way in discovering opportunities and innovatively
exploiting them. Entrepreneurship teachers should apply innovative teaching methods, cope
with various challenges of teaching entrepreneurship and engage students in the process and
challenges of entrepreneurship learning (Adedoyin 2010). Furthermore, entrepreneurship
teachers should have a strong motivation to teach and maintain their motivation through the
whole process of instructional delivery (Fiet 2000).
The Purpose of the Study

The general objective of the paper is to evaluate entrepreneurship programmes in some

selected polytechnics in Nigeria. Other specific aims of the work include the followings:
1 to determine the extent to which how the teaching of entrepreneurship education can
prepare polytechnics student to become entrepreneur,.
2 to determine Nigerian polytechnics students perception about entrepreneurship
courses,
3 and also determine the level of stakeholders involvement towards the provision of
adequate infrastructures and funding and a general recommendations on how to
move the entrepreneurship courses forward

Methodology

The study employed a descriptive study method in order to evaluate the effectiveness of
entrepreneurship education in some selected polytechnics in Nigeria. Three polytechnics
were selected based on random stratified sampling techniques. A total of 700 questionnaires
were administered to 3 institutions and 370 were successfully returned and 70 were declared
invalid. The questionnaire consisted of 36 items based on a five point Likert-Scale using
Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree. Both nominal and interval scales were used to measure

233
 ICTMBE 2013
2nd International Conference on Technology Management , Business and Entrepreneurship 2013
Mahkota Hotel Melaka Malaysia
5th December 2013
ISSBN 978-967-0468-56-3

the variables. The questionnaire has three parts namely the demographic section, the
perceived roles of polytechnics in promoting entrepreneurship programme section, and
students inclination towards entrepreneurship courses section.
The validity of the questionnaire was also verified based on some experts opinion
and its reliability was confirmed by Cronbachs Alpha. The group Cronbachs Alpha is
0.84.

Findings and Discussion

This paper has discussed and evaluated the Entrepreneurship Education offered at the
polytechnic level in Nigeria. It also ventured into getting the perceptions of undergraduate
students on their involvement in entrepreneurship programmes in their respective
schools.Based on the findings of this study, the majority of the respondents are male (244)
which represents 81.3% and only 55 or 18.3% of the students are female. In addition, about
75% 0f the respondents are between the ages of 18 to25 years old.
Table 1 below shows that five departments were selected and special focus was given
to final year students of the selected polytechnics. The total number of the students in the five
departments is 1062. The public administration has the highest number of registered students.
The perception of the final year students towards entrepreneurship programmes and their
willingness to take entrepreneurship as an attractive career option are taken into
consideration. The choice of the final year students was due to the fact that the entire
respondents were exposed to at least two entrepreneurship courses. The departments were
selected based on Random Stratified Sampling.

Table 1

Departments Population Proposed sample Respondents

Agric Engineering 80 40 28
Banking & Finance 157 60 32
Public Administration 540 350 145
Public Accounts & Audit 240 230 80
Electrical & Electronics 45 20 15
Total 1062 700 300

Table 2 below shows the respondents interest towards entrepreneurship courses as an

alternative career option. The responses of 98 (33.3%) students indicated their interest to
work in the public sector. That is they expressed their desires to work as government
employees. The second category of the respondents preferred to work in the private sector
rather to be self-employed. A total of 125 (42.5%) final year polytechnics students expressed
their desires to become entrepreneurs after graduation. These categories of students preferred
to be on their own by setting their own businesses after graduation. Only 3.4% of the
respondents are not sure or have not decided on their future career.
The implication of the findings is more 50% of the students wanted to work as public
or private sector workers. The colonial mentality of white colour job is still fresh in the minds
of some polytechnics students. The inclination towards entrepreneurial activities is still very
low.

234
 ICTMBE 2013
2nd International Conference on Technology Management , Business and Entrepreneurship 2013
Mahkota Hotel Melaka Malaysia
5th December 2013
ISSBN 978-967-0468-56-3

Table 2. Students Choice after Graduation

Frequency Percent Valid Cumulative Percent

Percent
1 98 32.7 33.3 33.3
2 61 20.3 20.7 54.1
Valid 3 125 41.7 42.5 96.6
4 10 3.3 3.4 100.0
Total 294 98.0 100.0
Missing System 6 2.0
Total 300 100.0

Respondents involvement in entrepreneurship as a career option is shown in table 3. About

23 students out of 70 respondents are not keen to join entrepreneurship courses because they
do not have enough time to participate in entrepreneurial activities. Others indicated their
unwillingness to join entrepreneurship courses because of inadequate information. About 13
final year students preferred to concentrate on their academic activities rather than
participating in entrepreneurial activities in their schools. The most important revelation of
the study is that some respondents are still not keen or interested to think of starting their own
businesses.
Table 3. Students Involvement In Entrepreneurship programme

Frequency Percent Valid Cumulative Percent

Percent
1 23 7.7 32.9 32.9
2 13 4.3 18.6 51.4
Valid 3 21 7.0 30.0 81.4
4 13 4.3 18.6 100.0
Total 70 23.3 100.0
Missing System 230 76.7
Total 300 100.0

Table 4 summarises the students views on entrepreneurship courses in the three selected
polytechnics. The findings shows that 134 (45.6%) of the students strongly disagreed that
entrepreneurship courses contents should have more practical time. About 46.6% of the
students disagreed. They were of the view that entrepreneurship should contain more
theoretical courses. However, only 2% of the students were of the view that the
entrepreneurial courses should contain more practical courses.

235
 ICTMBE 2013
2nd International Conference on Technology Management , Business and Entrepreneurship 2013
Mahkota Hotel Melaka Malaysia
5th December 2013
ISSBN 978-967-0468-56-3

Table 4. Students Perception toward entrepreneurship courses.

Frequency Percent Valid Cumulative Percent

Percent
strongly disagree 134 44.7 45.6 45.6
Disagree 137 45.7 46.6 92.2
Uncertain 8 2.7 2.7 94.9
Valid
Agree 9 3.0 3.1 98.0
strongly agree 6 2.0 2.0 100.0
Total 294 98.0 100.0
Missing System 6 2.0
Total 300 100.0

Table 5 shows the perceived role of polytechnics in promoting entrepreneurship programmes.

The perceived role were assessed based on the provision of vital infrastructural facilities,
adequate funding, more financial assistance to students to set up their own businesses and
other areas that are considered very important for the development of entrepreneurship
programmes.
About 37% of the students disagree with the assertion that, the polytechnics can
provide the needed entrepreneurship centre. In another development, another 17.3%
expressed their views that the polytechnic can provide an entrepreneurship centre. The table
still shows that about 65.3 do not accept the notion that the polytechnic can provide them
with adequate capital to start their own businesses after graduation. Only 21.3% of the
students strongly agree with the view that the polytechnics can provide financial assistance to
the students of entrepreneurship education.
Generally, the students of entrepreneurship do not have the confidence in them that
the polytechnics are not willing to provide them with any useful contribution that can
promote entrepreneurship programmes especially among the students. Their interest and
awareness is still very low.

Table 5 Perceived Role of Polytechnics in promoting Entrepreneurship

S/N The Roles of Polytechnics Strongly Agree uncertain Strongly Agree

disagree agree
1 Polytechnics has entrepreneurship 16.3% 37.0% 21.3% 7.0% 17.3%
centre
2 Polytechnics can provide financial 36.3% 29.0% 12.8% 4.7% 16.7%
assistance to entrepreneurship
3 Polytechnics to provide network for 29.3% 53.9% 11% 1.7% 4%
lecturers and students for outside
collaboration.
4 Can provide training, guidance, 48.5% 46.5% 3% 0.7% 1.3%
practical to lecturers and students
5 More business opportunities to 32.6% 45.0% 13.8% 3.4% 5.4%
students
6 All departments must be involved in 34.7% 50.3% 6.8% 2.7% 5.4%
entrepreneurship programmes.

236
 ICTMBE 2013
2nd International Conference on Technology Management , Business and Entrepreneurship 2013
Mahkota Hotel Melaka Malaysia
5th December 2013
ISSBN 978-967-0468-56-3

Table 6 clearly shows the summaries of the useful suggestions made by the respondents on
how to move entrepreneurship programmes forward in our polytechnics. The greater bulk of
the students suggested there should be adequate funding for entrepreneurship programmes as
a possible measure that can improve students interest and zeal in schools entrepreneurial
activities. Practical lessons and field trips are also among some of the important
recommendation made by the students. The polytechnic management should endeavour to
provide such services. About 32 students suggested better training for both staff and students.

Table 6. The General Summary of some Suggestions made by the Respondents

S/ Suggestions by the Students Population Percentage %

N
1 Adequate funding for entrepreneurship programmes 145 48.3
2 Good infrastructural facilities in polytechnics 41 13.6
3 Better training and motivation entrepreneurship lecturers 32 10.6
4 More practical and field trips to entrepreneurship students 46 15.3
5 Departments to organise more seminar, workshop, conferences 26 8.3
and exhibition for entrepreneurship students
6 Industrial training attachment for students 10 3.3
300 100

Conclusion and Recommendations

Conclusion

Entrepreneurship brings economic growth, innovations and creates new jobs. Hence in recent
years, the interest toward entrepreneurship has been increased as an important alternative to
professional occupation, especially for the graduates of tertiary education, (Ismail, 2009). The
entrepreneurship programmes in this study are not well implemented and students do not
received adequate attention from the polytechnics leadership. Those areas that received very
low ratings from the respondents need to improve. The study revealed that the polytechnics
students in the three polytechnics have very little awareness about the importance of
entrepreneurship as an attractive career option. Their inclinations towards entrepreneurship
courses are not encouraging. Entrepreneurship courses are compulsory to all public
polytechnics in Nigeria. Despite this attempt by the stake holders to make entrepreneurship
courses attractive to students, their interest still remain very low with a very large number of
the respondents willing to accept jobs from the government. Fauziah, (2012) attributed the
reasons for low students inclination towards entrepreneurship courses to the fact that they do
not have a matching skills. Most of the students do not possessed the necessary skills to start
their own businesses. The students are too theoretical rather than practical.
However, despite several government policies towards promoting entrepreneurship in
Nigeria, the study further revealed that the polytechnics are not doing enough to raise student
interest towards entrepreneurship. The polytechnics are not proving enough funds,
infrastructures, and training for both students and lecturers of entrepreneurship.

237
 ICTMBE 2013
2nd International Conference on Technology Management , Business and Entrepreneurship 2013
Mahkota Hotel Melaka Malaysia
5th December 2013
ISSBN 978-967-0468-56-3

Recommendations

o The Polytechnics top management must play their constitutional role by providing
adequate funding and an enabling environment through the provision of social and
economic infrastructures capable of promoting entrepreneurial programmes.
o In designing any future curriculum for entrepreneurship courses, greater attention
must be paid to the labour market prospect. Efforts must be intensified to produce
relevant graduates with relevant skills and knowledge.
o There is also the need to device new modern teaching techniques in order to improve
students competencies for example through problem based learning, industrial
attachment and training for entrepreneurship students.
o It also become imperative to correct the current teaching methodologies and the most
relevant learning process must be intensified to ensure the success of entrepreneurship
programmes as possible solution to graduates unemployment.
o Finally, efforts must be made to ensure that all entrepreneurship lecturers are properly
trained and well-motivated because the entire success of the programme will depend
on their inputs.
o The polytechnics management as a matter of priority must fully understand the
entrepreneurship programme objectives and give full support to ensure they are
attained.

238
 ICTMBE 2013
2nd International Conference on Technology Management , Business and Entrepreneurship 2013
Mahkota Hotel Melaka Malaysia
5th December 2013
ISSBN 978-967-0468-56-3

References

Adedoyin O.O, (2010). Factor-Analytic Study of Teachers' Perceptions on Self-Efficacy in Botswana Junior
Secondary Schools: Implications For Educational Quality. Eur. J. Educ. Stud., 2: 139-155

Adegbite S.A, et al, (2007) Evaluation of the Impact of Entrepreneurial Characteristics on the
Performance of Small Scale Manufacturing Industries in Nigeria. Journal of Asia Entrepreneurship
and Sustainability Volume 3, Issue 1, (2007).

Agu, C.N. (2006). Pedagogy of Entrepreneurship in a Contemporary Society. The Enterprise International
Research Journal for Development. January April 8(1), 18 32
.
Akanwa, B., and C.N. Agu, 2005. Entrepreneurship:Theory and Practice in Nigeria. 1st
Educational Resources Development Centre, Owerri.

Akpomi, M. E. (2008). Entrepreneurship Among GraduatesToBe Of Business/Management Faculty And

Economic Development In Nigeria: European Journal Of Economics, Finance And
Administrative Sciences, Vol.14 pp 52-61

Aladekomo, F. O. (2004). Nigeria Educational Policy and Entrepreneurship. Journal of Social Sciences.Vol 9
no.2pp 75-78

Ajzen, I., 2002. Perceived Behavioural Control, Self-Efficacy, Locus Of Control And The Theory Of Planned
Behaviour. J. Applied Soc. Psychol.Vol. 32: 665-683.

Bayraktar, S., 2011. Turkish Pre-service Primary School Teachers' Science Teaching Efficacy Beliefs and
Attitudes toward Science: The Effect of a Primary Teacher Education Program. Sch. Sci. Matt.

Binks, M, Starley, K, & Mahon, C.L. (2006). Entrepreneurship Education and the Business School. Technology
Analysis and Strategic Management. Vol.18 no.1 pp1-18.

Bird, B. (1995), Towards A Theory Of Entrepreneurial Competency. In Advances on Entrepreneurship, Firm

Emergence and Growth, Eds. J.A. Katz, and R.H.

Burnett, D. (2000): Hunting for Heffalumps: The Supply of Entrepreneurship and

Economic Development (in Technopreneurial.com), History of Entrepreneurship
Theory, pp. 1-3.

Chouhan, S. S. (1984). Advanced Educational Psychology. Vikas Publishing House Pvt. Ltd. New Delhi, India.
Pp 09, 288-323, 345.

Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education (2008).Entrepreneurship Everywhere: The Case for

Entrepreneurship Education. Columbia, USA.

Di-Masi, P. (2004): Defining Entrepreneurship. Generated at e-mail

[email protected].

European Commission (2003) Green Paper On Entrepreneurship In Europe (Presented By

The Commission). Document Based On COM (2003) 27 Final.

Fauziah, W, Y (2012)Entrepreneurship Development Programme In Higher Learning Institution: A Case Study

of Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia. Proceedings International Conference of Technology Management,
Business and Entrepreneurship 2012 (ICTMBE2012),

Garba, A S (2010) Refocusing Education System towards Entrepreneurship Development in Nigeria: A Tool for
Poverty Eradication European Journal of Social Sciences Volume 15, Number 1 (2010)

239
 ICTMBE 2013
2nd International Conference on Technology Management , Business and Entrepreneurship 2013
Mahkota Hotel Melaka Malaysia
5th December 2013
ISSBN 978-967-0468-56-3

Garavan, T. N. And OCinneide, B. (1994). Entrepreneurship Education And Training Programmes: A Review
And Evaluation Part 1. Journal Of European Industrial TrainingVol. 18 no.8 pp 3-12

Gatchalian, M.L, (2010). An In-depth Analysis of the Entrepreneurship Education in the

Philippines: An Initiative towards the Development of a Framework for a Professional Teaching
Competency Program for Entrepreneurship Educators. The International Journal of Research and
Review Volume 5, September 2010.

Gibb A.A. (1988) Educating TomorrowS Entrepreneurs Number Four Economic Reform Today, Assessed
On 5 October 2008, From Http://Www.Cipe.Org/

Hansemark, O.C., 1998. The Effects Of An Entrepreneurship Programme On Need For Achievement And Locus
Of Control Of Reinforcement. Int. J. Entrepreneurial Behav. Res., 4: 28-50.

Harris, M.L. And S.G. Gibson, 2008. Examining The Entrepreneurial Attitudes Of US Business Students. Educ.
Training, 50: 568-581.
Ismail, M.H, (2010) Developing Entrepreneurship Education: Empirical Findings From Malaysia Polytechnics.
Unpublished Phd Thesis, Hull University.

Kirby, D. A. (2002). Entrepreneurship Education: Can Business Schools Meet The Challange?. Paper Presented
At The ICSB World Conference, San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Kirzner, I.M. (1979), Perception, Opportunities and Profit, University Of Chicago Press, Chicago IL.
Menzies, T. V. (2011) Advancing Teaching And Learning In Relation To University-Based Entrepreneurship
Education: A Theoretical, Model Building Approach International Journal of Arts & Sciences,
4(11):4756

Okala, O.F., 2008. Unemployment experience in Nigeria.The impact of vocational skills

training. J. Pedagogy Edu. Devel., 10(1-2): 18-25.

Peltonen, K., 2008. Can Learning In Teams Help Teachers To Become More Entrepreneurial? The Interplay
Between Efficacy, Perception, And Team Support

Reynolds, P. (1999): Nascent Entrepreneurship in Northern Europe, in EIM (Ed.)

Entrepreneurship in the Netherlands. (The Hague/Zoetermer: EIM/EZ).

Robinson, P.B., D.V. Stimpson, J.C. Huefner And H.K. Hunt, 1991. An Attitude Approach To The Prediction
Of Entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship Theory Pract., 15: 13-30.

Say, J.B.(1824): A Treatise on Political Economy (Translation). Punscap, C.K., trans. 4th
ed. (Boston, Massachusets: Wells and Lilly Press).

Shane, D., 2003. A General Theory of Entrepreneurship: The Individual Opportunity Nexus.
Edward Elgar Publication, USA.

Shane, S., Venkataraman, S., (2000), The Promise Of Entrepreneurship As A Field Of Research , Academy
Of Management Review, Vol.25, N1, P. 217-226.

This Day Newspaper (Lagos, 2007). Nigeria: FG Charges Higher Institutions On Entrepreneurship. This Day, 6
November 2007.

240