Abstract

Entrepreneurial education refers to the process of equipping individuals with the knowledge, skills, and mindset needed to develop an entrepreneurial mindset and succeed in entrepreneurial endeavors. The study adopted a descriptive survey research, designed to examine entrepreneurship among secondary school students: Opportunities, challenges, and the role in fostering innovation. The study was carried out at Community secondary school, Nkpor and Community secondary school, Ogbogoro. The population of study was 48 senior secondary school three students from Community secondary school, Nkpor and 50 senior secondary school three from Community secondary school three Ogbogoro. Sample size of 48 students was used for the study. A Structured questionnaire titled Entrepreneurship among Secondary School Students: Opportunities, Challenges, and the Role in Fostering Innovation (ESSSOCRFI) with 25 items were used for the study. Face and content validity was used for the study. Reliability coefficient of 0.74 was obtained. Mean and t-test was the statistical tools used for the study. The study found that many secondary school students have a basic awareness of entrepreneurship, often influenced by media, social networks, and popular culture; they may recognize entrepreneurship as a pathway to financial independence and innovation but may not fully grasp the complexities involved. Furthermore, the study found that students can participate in local, national, or international business plan competitions; these events encourage students to develop and present their business ideas, providing valuable feedback from judges and mentors. Based on the findings, the researchers recommended that Schools should incorporate entrepreneurship education into the existing curriculum, focusing on practical skills such as business planning, financial literacy, marketing, and innovation. 

Keywords

entrepreneurship education, digitalization, sustainability, innovation, knowledge-driven economy, poverty reduction, employment generation