14. INCLUSION OF ENTREPRENEURIAL STUDIES IN SCHOOL CURRICULUM AS A CATALYST FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: JOHN DEWEY’S PERSPECTIVE
Irabor, Benson Peter – Department of Philosophy
University of Lagos, Lagos.
E-mail: benpet1@yahoo.com Phone No : 08034624353
Abstract
Across the globe, entrepreneurship has been recognized as an active means of inspiring greater economic growth and sustainable development. This is usually done through the creation of greater employment opportunities, the improvement of local techno-industrial base for foreign exchange remunerations. The employment of John Dewey’s perspective on the aim of education as our point of departure, is informed by his pragmatic principle. Dewey’s pragmatic cum democratic methodology to schooling finds expression on child-centred education which considers the seats of learning on the interest-needs of the child as interpreted or contextualized in the light of societal needs within the labour market. Scholars, researchers and pundits hold the view that since entrepreneurship education has been discovered to be a vital instrument to students’ development of entrepreneurial expertise and attitudes which positively prepares them towards starting their own future businesses “inter-disciplinary curriculum”, or a curriculum that aims at relating multiple subjects which encourages students to easily pursue their areas of interests as well as helps them to develop the ability to construct their own paths for acquiring and applying knowledge is very necessary in schools. Dewey opines that school insistence on mastery of facts and disciplining of bodies has led to the production of passive students who lack the ability to contribute actively to economic growth. In this light, the essay argues that entrepreneurial studies, if incorporated into the school curriculum, is a viable tool for a nascent state that is aspiring for economic growth. Thus, the study recommends that entrepreneurial studies should be included at all levels of education so that students will be equipped with the necessary entrepreneurial skills needed in the labour market and for self-reliance.
Keywords: Education, Curriculum, Entrepreneurship; Sustainable Development, John Dewey