It
sounds good hearing the statement of the President at the State Opening of the
new legislative year prioritizing entrepreneurship, as a key element in the
education drive promoted by the government.
“As we begin the implementation of the new education sector policy, 2016 to 2030, renewed emphasis is being put on Technical and Vocational Education which cuts across the education sector from Basic and Secondary to the Tertiary and Higher Education with entrepreneurship as a key element,” he said.
Entrepreneurship is indeed key to the transformation of a country’s human resource and economic development. So it is vital that entrepreneurship is given pride of place in the education drive of the country.
Entrepreneurship has played a critical role in the economic buildup of many countries around the world, including the US, the UK and other nations in Europe and Africa.
Speaking about the relevance of entrepreneurship in national development, Abdoulie M. Touray, president of American Chamber of Commerce in The Gambia, once said:
“What we have observed is that innovation and entrepreneurship are not taught in our schools, and that is a concern because there is a mind-set change in most parts of the world, where students are allowed to create products and services when they are in school; so that the moment they graduate from school they have enterprises of their own and that reduces unemployment and make a difference for humanity.”
The benefits of entrepreneurship are numerous, and they contribute greatly to the development of the individual and the prosperity of a nation.
Entrepreneurship education is an invaluable resource to a nation; its benefits range from creating entrepreneurial thinkers who also possess the skills and tools to start their own businesses, to getting citizens armed with such knowledge demonstrate skills in business startups and in maintaining business longevity.
With such knowledge, individuals could turn small startups to big business empires, and create employment in society.
It is, therefore, of paramount necessity that we give entrepreneurship pride of place in our education trajectory and economic growth.
Entrepreneurship education creates entrepreneurs who create employment and wealth, which is used to fight poverty.
“We need to celebrate entrepreneurs because they create wealth and it is wealth that is used to fight against poverty.”
Abdoulie Baks Touray
