‘Entrepreneurial Education,Tool for Fighting Unemployment’

Yemi Akinsuyi

A university don, Dr. Gylych Jelilov of Nigerian Turkish Nile University, has described entrepreneurial education as an important tool for Nigeria to advance fight against unemployment especially among the youth.

Jelilov, Head of Economics Department of the university, stated this in a paper presented during a meeting with the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry Ltd (ACCIL).

The HOD harped on the need for the development and complete overhaul of the education system in Nigeria.

He said this is fundamental to improving and enhancing people’s ability and capacity to be absorbed in the competitive and bloated labour market.

He noted it could be complemented by marrying theories and practice through well-coordinated sensitisation and reorientation as well as adequate incentives for organisations and companies for an effective and efficient result.

Jelilov said there was the need to combine theories learned in class with practical aspects of it.

According to him, focus had been on the teaching of entrepreneurship as skills acquisition rather than its education.

In his words: “In reality, the entrepreneurship that is taught is most especially in areas of skill acquisition rather than entrepreneurship education. For instance students are often taught how to manage business ventures while entrepreneurial centres are concerned with the dynamics and knowledge of the enterprise.

“It is not necessary for a student to know how to repair shoe but how to set up and manage a shoe making factory, the rest is left for those with technical skills.”

Furthermore, he said the problems and obstacles that impeded the advance and growth of entrepreneurship as identified lie in three major areas, noting that the aspect that was given much attention is skill acquisition most especially in entrepreneurship centres.

According to him, there is greater need to emphasise on how an individual could establish and efficiently manage a business rather than know how to make those goods he or she sells.