ENTREPRENEURIAL MINDSET BASED ON SCHOOL TYPE AMONG SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN OSUN STATE, NIGERIA.

Abstract

The cultivation of an entrepreneurial mindset among young
learners has become increasingly critical in preparing them for a
dynamic, innovation-driven economy. This study investigates the
level of entrepreneurial mindset development among senior
secondary school students and compares these levels across different
school types, specifically public and private secondary schools. A
quantitative comparative research design was employed, utilising a
structured entrepreneurial mindset scale measuring key dimensions
such as opportunity recognition, risk-taking propensity,
innovativeness, self-efficacy, and proactive problem-solving. Data
were collected from 480 Senior Secondary School Class Two (SSSI)I
students who were randomly selected from schools across three
senatorial districts in Osun State, Nigeria. Descriptive and
inferential statistics, including, mean, percentages, standard
deviation and t-tests, were used to analyse the data. Results showed
that private-owned school students have higher dimensions in opportunity recognition and risk taking with average mean score
value (x= 3.73) than public school students (x= 2.95), although they
showed notable strength in creativity/innovation (x= 3.02). It also
revealed that the development of entrepreneurial mindset of Osun
State secondary school students is high (x= 3.31). Finally, the result
of the independent sample t-test analysis that examines the
significant difference in entrepreneurial mindset of senior secondary
school students from public and private schools showed a very large
t-value (-12.12) with 477 degrees of freedom, and the p-value less
than 0.001 (p<0.001) which is far below the conventional alpha level
(0.05). This is an indication that the observed difference is
statistically significant. The study concludes that there is a strong
connection between the type of secondary school attended by senior
secondary students and their entrepreneurial mindset development.
The entrepreneurial orientations in private in private secondary
schools are better developed because of increased exposure of the
learners to real-world business ventures, proper learning facilities,
and effective teaching approaches. Nevertheless, both public and
private secondary schools can be instrumental in nurturing Nigeria's
future entrepreneurs. Effective entrepreneurship education programs
in secondary schools can promote economic independence and self
employment in Nigeria