An assessment of the effectiveness of entrepreneurship education in Botswana private higher education institutions

Abstract

The present study assessed the effectiveness of Entrepreneurship Education (EE) in Private Higher Education institutions in Botswana. The assessment of the effectiveness of EE serves as a context of finding ways of addressing challenges and proposing a model for implementing effective EE in Botswana Private Higher Education Institutions. The study adopted a positivism paradigm. A quantitative approach was employed. A survey design was used in the empirical study and a self-constructed questionnaire was used to collect data. Two hundred and forty-nine students exposed to EE and fifty-two commercial college/university lecturers participated in the study. The Social Science Statistical Package (SPSS) version 22 was applied to analyse the data. Chi-square tests were calculated. Ratios were calculated to show the ratings of each item. This study revealed that EE’s curriculum structure such as objectives, content, implementation, and assessment affected its effectiveness. The study also revealed that Botswana Private Higher Education Institutions did not have material resources to effectively EE. The current study also established that even though stakeholders had positive attitudes towards EE, entrepreneurial culture in Gaborone was weak. Findings of the study also revealed that there was no comprehensive EE policy for its effective implementation in tertiary institutions. The present study recommended that the implementation of EE would be improved through the restructuring of the curriculum, the provision of resources and the need to formulate mandatory policies and legislation for its implementation.