ENTREPRENEURIAL EDUCATION CURRICULUM AND UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ PREPAREDNESS FOR SELF- EMPLOYMENT IN NIGERIA

Entrepreneurial education in Nigeria Universities is aimed at curbing unpreparedness for self-employment amongst students before graduation from higher education institutions in Nigeria, particularly the universities. The need for entrepreneurial education is considered as a necessity. However, it is most appropriate to ascertain from graduating university students’ perspectives the extent to which preparedness for self-employment has achieved. This effort could also enable the understanding of present level of awareness and preparedness of graduating students for a self-propelled career and working life. Moreover, decline in preparedness for self-employment is likely to become the norm if commitment to the ideals of the entrepreneurial programmes is belittled. More so, students’ preference for quick-solutions in-lieu of the rigours and dignity of labour may have implication for the tackling of graduate unemployment through a more rigorous effort of setting up new businesses. In examining the entrepreneurial curriculum, the content and methodology for delivery were considered paramount in this regard., A four-point scale Likert-type questionnaire on the variables of policy awareness, adequacy of curriculum content cum delivery and preparedness for jobs that are entrepreneurial and self- paid in nature with a focus on graduating students from public and privately owned universities in Osun State were administered with 220 structured questionnaire. Findings revealed a low level of awareness and preparedness for jobs that are entrepreneurial and self-paid in nature among graduating students from public universities in Osun State, south west, Nigeria and that there is negative significant relationship between exposure to entrepreneurial education and students’ preparedness for self-employment and finally, recommendations were made based on the findings of the study.