ENTREPRENEURIAL EDUCATION AND PERFORMANCE OF SMALL AND MEDIUM SCALE ENTERPRISES IN EDO STATE

Abstract

The main objective of this study is to examine the effects of entrepreneurial education on the performance of small and medium scale enterprises in Edo state. The study investigated how entrepreneurial education (entrepreneurial planning, business planning) affects the performance of SMEs (innovativeness and job creation) of small and medium enterprises in Edo state The study adopted a survey research approach, descriptive and explanatory design where primary data were collected from the respondents with the use of questionnaire administered to all the managers of selected small and medium enterprises in Edo state with a population of (799). Secondary record data were obtained from SMEDAN, Benin city. Taro Yamane formula was used to determine the sample size (266). Out of the 266 copies of questionnaires that were administered, 250 (94 %) were retrieved and used for analysis. Ordinary Least Square of Mutivarite regression was used to test the two formulated hypotheses in line with the objectives of the study and the results led to the rejection of the two null hypotheses showing that there is significant impact of entrepreneurial education on the performance of SMEs in Edo state. The study concluded that entrepreneurial education (entrepreneurial planning and business planning) increases the performance of SMEs (innovativeness and job creation). The study recommends that the government should provide and develop technical/institutional assistance by properly funding and strengthening the institutions charged with supporting the SMEs in Edo state so as to achieve business growth of the selected SMEs in Edo state.