ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS FOR CAPACITY BUILDING OF BUSINESS EDUCATION STUDENTS IN UNIVERSITY OF PORT HARCOURT, RIVERS STATE

The study examined entrepreneurial skills for capacity building of Business Education students in University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Three objectives and three research questions guided the study. The researcher adopted a descriptive survey research design. The population of the study was 131 Business Education students in Business Education Department of Faculty of Education, University of Port Harcourt, from which 66 (50%) were selected as sample size for the study using the simple random sampling technique. Respondents responded to a validated 24 item questionnaire as instrument, which was titled: Entrepreneurial Skills for Capacity Building of Business Education Students Questionnaire (ESCBBESQ) designed by the researcher after the modified 4-points Likert scale model, with a reliability index of 0.81, obtained using Cronbach Alpha statistics. Mean and standard deviation were used in answering the research questions. The findings of the study showed that entrepreneurship courses offered by Business Education students, teaching methods adopted by lecturers in delivery of entrepreneurship skills and physical facilities available for teaching Business Education students entrepreneurship skills enhance capacity building in University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State to a low extent. The study concluded that entrepreneurial skills enhance capacity building of Business Education students in University of Port Harcourt to a low extent. Consequently, it was recommended among others that Government through NUC should ensure that entrepreneurship courses offered by Business Education Students in universities are what it takes to equip the students to be self-reliant and employers of labour. Also, University Management should carry out regular supervision to ensure that teaching methods adopted by lecturers of entrepreneurship differ from the traditional method of teaching and learning, to ensure adequate practical works that will equip and empower the students.