Influence of SIWES in Science Education Program on Students Entrepreneurial Skill Acquisition in Rivers State Universities

Abstract

The study investigated the influence of student’s industrial work experience scheme (SIWES) on science education programme on students’ entrepreneurial skill acquisition in Rivers State Universities. Two research questions and two hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The design adopted for the study was descriptive survey design. The population of the study comprised of 420, level two hundred science education students in Rivers State University and Ignatius Ajuru University of Education for 2021/2022 academic session. The sample size of the study consisted of 260 students from the two-degree awarding universities in Rivers State. The sample size was activated through Taro Yamen Formula. The research instrument used was a self-structured questionnaire designed on a 4-point rating scale, titled SIWES in science education questionnaire. The instrument was validated and the reliability established as 0.89 using Cronbach Alpha procedure. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research question and z- test was used to test the hypotheses. It was discovered that, Students industrial work experience scheme (SIWES) in science education programme actually influence students’ entrepreneurial skills acquisition in Rivers State Universities, and that science education students would acquire entrepreneurial skills through school and industrial work experience scheme. Based on the findings, it was recommended that administrators of science education programmme should intensify and strengthen the current students industrial work experience scheme (SIWES) through proper supervision, enlightenment and education of the students on the core imperatives and rudiments of the program.