UTILIZING SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS EDUCATION TO FOSTER ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN KATSINA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Given the pressing issue of limited employment opportunities in Nigeria, particularly affecting secondary school students who may not proceed to higher education, the integration of entrepreneurial skills development becomes imperative. Science and mathematics education have the potential to enhance students’ entrepreneurial skills development by fostering self-employment, raising income levels, improving living standards, and enhancing the overall quality of life. The purpose of this paper is to assess the relevance of science and mathematics education as an important tool for developing entrepreneurial skills among secondary school students in Katsina state, Nigeria. The paper employed a cross-sectional survey method to collect primary data from 400 secondary school students across three senatorial zones in the state. The collected data were analyzed using the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) approach. The results indicate that science and mathematics education have a positive impact on secondary school students’ entrepreneurial skills development. Based on these findings, the paper proposes recommendations including curriculum enhancement with practical entrepreneurship components, teacher training, experiential learning opportunities, mentor-ship programs, access to resources, innovation competitions, industry collaborations, financial literacy education, government support, and continuous evaluation.