Promoting entrepreneurial skills acquisition through project based learning for sustainable business startups: a case of kololo senior secondary school-Kampala

Abstract

Acquisition of entrepreneurial skills is crucial to creating independent and sustainable economic activities that result into stable economic growth and development. However many teachers and facilitators feel that entrepreneurship education is taught theoretically given the high level of unemployment of 1.72% by 2019 which increased to 2.44% in 2020 out of which 2.48% are the unemployed youths in Uganda ILO (2019). A study to examine entrepreneurial skills acquisition through project based learning for sustainable business startups, was conducted in Kololo Senior Secondary School-Kampala in Nakawa Division. A participatory action research was used which employed qualitative research as a research approach and it was guided by three objectives: to identify strategies that can be adopted to use project-based learning approach for entrepreneurial skills acquisition in school, analyze the implementation of the strategies of project-based learning approach for entrepreneurial skills acquisition and evaluate the use of project-based learning approaches in relation to entrepreneurial skills acquisition. The study used an action research design and a sample population of 20 respondents, comprising of 3 administrators, 3 business education teachers, and 14 entrepreneurship students. Purposive sampling methods were used in the non-probability-sampling category. Primary and secondary sources of data collection were explored during the study. The qualitative data was summarized, and categorized while the quantitative was analyzed using the statistical packages for the social scientist (SPSS) computer program. Correlation and regression analysis were used to establish the relationship between the study variables to come up with logical conclusive arguments of the study findings. The findings revealed that effective implementation of projects in schools is required to enhance practical business skills acquisition. It is done by adopting strategies such as improving teacher commitment, combining projects with learning and choosing easy subjects. It was revealed that learners do participate in school-based projects through entrepreneurship clubs through which they acquire the practical skills that are help them develop business ideas after school. It was recommended that learning institutions should put in place a follow up system for their learners’ in the business world to ascertain the extent to which entrepreneurial skills are being used to put up successful enterprises. Government should increase its budgetary allocation in entrepreneurship education centers and schools for such school projects to become real demonstration centers. Sensitizing all stakeholders in the education sector about the need new competence-based curriculum (CBC) that trains learners to acquire employable skills, this will further cement the need for school-based projects for entrepreneurial skills acquisition.