The Schools Entrepreneurship Initiative (SEI) will this year impact 5,000 tertiary students nationwide, the Minister of Business Development, Dr. Ibrahim Mohammed Awal has said.
He said the initiative would deepen the entrepreneurship culture among students to prepare them for the world of work.
The Minister was speaking at the launch of the maiden edition of the Graphic Business Tertiary Business Sense Competition in Accra on Monday.
He noted that this was in line with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s commitment to creating an entrepreneurial ecosystem that engenders job creation at providing the students with entrepreneurial and innovative skills.
Dr. Awal said the project would be launched in April this year in 20 universities across the country.
Citing a research survey, Dr. Awal noted that only two per cent of students would want to create their own businesses while majority of them wanted to work in the public sector.
“In the next 10 years we hope that young people will like to create their own jobs,” he stressed.
This, Dr. Awal noted was appalling hence the need to ensure that the students acquire business sense at the early stage to reduce the unemployment rate in the country.
He said last year’s edition of the SEI in secondary schools had impacted 10,000 students adding that the ministry would ensure to include 30,000 students in the initiative to create jobs and wealth.
The Business Development Minister said the Ministry was committed to supporting the youth to become entrepreneurs, as well as promote Ghanaian businesses.
Last year’s edition was on the theme, “Innovation and entrepreneurship education – a bridge to realising the Ghana beyond Aid Agenda”.
BY ALLIA NOSHIE
