ENTREPRENEURSHIP TEACHING FOR SELF-EMPLOYMENT AMONG HIGHER LEARNING STUDENTS IN TANZANIA: A LESSON LEARNT FROM SUCCESSFUL GRADUATE ENTREPRENEURS

Entrepreneurship Education, Higher Learning Education, Teaching and Assessment Methods, SelfEmployed Graduates

Abstract

Despite several years of investing entrepreneurship education in Tanzanian higher learning education, still a large
portion of graduates are incompetent, hence, they cannot start-up their own business ventures. The current study
employed the Social Learning Theory to explore effective teaching and assessment methods appropriate to
entrepreneurship education in order to create self-employed graduates of higher learning education by drawing
experience from some successful graduate entrepreneurs in Tanzania. The study aimed at filling the gap in the literature
by exploring effective teaching methods and assessment procedures for entrepreneurship education to enhance selfemployment among graduates of higher learning education in Tanzania. This is a qualitative study that applied a mixedmethod approach utilizing interviews, observation, and document review in data collection. The study was done in Dar
es Salaam City using both purposive and snowball chain sampling techniques whereby, 65 respondents participated in
the study. The collected data were analysed using content analysis technique in which themes were generated and
discussed in accordance with the research questions. The findings of the study indicated that, in Tanzania, traditional
teaching methods are mostly used to teach entrepreneurship education in higher learning education. Lecturing teaching
method and paper and pencil form of assessment are commonly preferred by instructors while teaching
entrepreneurship education. Graduates of higher learning education do encounter several challenges, and those
challenges are connected to individual weaknesses of a graduate, poor preparation of students in higher learning
education, failure of legal compliance, and lack of financial capital. Based on the observed challenges, the study
recommends the following: Firstly, students should effectively be engaged in practical activities related to
entrepreneurship while still at the colleges and universities. Secondly, all instructors teaching entrepreneurship
education should be equipped with sufficient knowledge through in-service trainings in order to update them with
relevant skills needed in the markets. Thirdly, instructors should create a balance between theoretical and practical
learning while teaching entrepreneurship education, and for the research purpose, colleges, and universities should
have their own database concerning with graduates who have succeeded to employ themselves after graduation