Abstract
The study examined entrepreneurship education in tertiary institutions in Zambia
and propose an entrepreneurship education framework. With the high
unemployment levels among graduates, colleges, universities and the
government recognise that it is imperative to prepare students with
entrepreneurial skills that can be utilised to establish businesses and be valuable
in formal employment in the changing Zambian economy. The study was based
on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) to assess college students’ intention
to start their own business, and the entrepreneurship programme being offered in
selected colleges in Zambia. A mixed method approach was used to study
entrepreneurship education in a multiple case study of five colleges in three
locations in Zambia (North, Central and South). The study involved a review of
entrepreneurship education literature, the survey of college students through a
questionnaire and conducting interviews of academic staff in selected colleges
and small and medium sized enterprise owners. Data was analysed
quantitatively and qualitatively.
Subsequently, the key results of the study indicated that the entrepreneurship
education in tertiary institutions in Zambia is not fit for the purpose of developing
students venture in business. The number of students that venture in business is
inadequate mostly like due to theoretical methodological approach being used,
inappropriately qualified teaching staff, insufficient financial, business
development, and technological measures, and entrepreneurship education is
not well structured and comprehensive at the tertiary institutions in Zambia.
The study makes contribution to knowledge by provide worthwhile literature on
entrepreneurship education in the Zambian context in terms of assessing the
strength of entrepreneurship intentions of students to start a business; the
common approach used in teaching entrepreneurship among tertiary students in
Zambia; competence of entrepreneurship trainers at tertiary institutions;
availability of financial, business development, regulatory and business
development support. The study inform practice by recommending an
entrepreneurship education framework that can guide students at tertiary
institutions to establish start-up enterprises to contribute to the growth of the
private sector and increase job opportunities for the youth in Zambia.