Students Perception on the Entrepreneurship Curriculum at the University of South Africa's Department of Agriculture and Animal Health
Journal of Human Ecology, 46(1): 91-101 (2014)
11 Pages Posted: 21 May 2014
Date Written: May 21, 2014
Abstract
Entrepreneurship continues to assume a vital role in the South African economy as well as the economies of many developing nations across the globe. The creation of new business activities has become a major driver in the economy. South Africa has a high number of unemployed graduates in the agricultural sector across all disciplines. However, there has been a pervasive culture in the South African education system that when agricultural students complete their programmes at universities they prefer to work for government as extension and advisory services personnel, at research institutions and other related sectors. The study was conducted to assess whether the training provided as part of the curriculum creates opportunities for entrepreneurship for both undergraduate and postgraduate students at the University of South Africa (UNISA) within the Department of Agriculture and Animal Health. Work-integrated learning (WIL) offers students the chance to learn more about the working environment. There is unwillingness on the part of female students to become entrepreneurs. The Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal provinces have a large number of students who are interested in entrepreneurship. The curriculum offers students training in innovation and organisational skills, but it is apparent that this programme does not assist in the development of students to embrace entrepreneurship. Students are not prepared to start their own businesses after completing of their studies, however, they prefer to work full-time while running their own businesses part-time.
Keywords: Entrepreneurship, Programme, Leadership, Students, Pedagogy
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