ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION AS A TOOL FOR SOCIO-ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION AMONG GRADUATES IN ILORIN SOUTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, KWARA STATE

This study investigates entrepreneurship education as a tool for socio-economic transformation among graduates in Ilorin South Local Governement Areas Kwara State, Nigeria. Descriptive survey research design was adopted. Four (4) research questions were raised and two (2) hypotheses formulated and tested at 0.05 levels of significances. A multistage sampling technique was used to stratify the state into Local Government Areas and Ilorin South Local Government Areas was for the study. The population of the study comprised graduates numbering 2,173 from members of National Youths Sercive Corps and unemployed graduates. A sample size of 200 representing 66 and 134 members of National Youths Sercive Corps and unemployed graduates respectively were randomly sampled using multistage sampling technique. A structured questionnaire tagged ‘Entrepreneurship Education Socio-economic Transformation Questionnaire (EESETQ)’ based on the objectives and research questions containing demographic characteristics of the respondents questions items related to the entrepreneurship education as a tool for socio-economic transformation structured in 4-point Likert scale was developed and used. The instrument was validated and reliability coefficient, 0.73 was determined, Data were analyzed using frequency, percentages, means and standard deviation. Hypotheses were tested using Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) at 0.05 level of significant. The results revealed that significant correlation exits between entrepreneurship education and unemployment and poverty reduction among graduates in Ilorin South Local Government Areas of Kwara State, Nigeria. Thus, entrepreneurship education is a tool for socio-economic transformation among graduates. It was therefore recommended among others that: Government and stakeholders should provide access to excellent entrepreneurship education and resources for students where they can access resources, opportunities, and support services that can act as a tool for socio-economic transformation among graduates to decrease the rate of unemployment. Parents should not place undue pressure on their children or wards to make money within a short term. Students should have positive entrepreneurial attitude to access better opportunities.