Entrepreneurial Intentions among Senior Secondary School Students in Ka-Nyamazane Township in South Africa

Entrepreneurship has come to be an essential subject in recent years due to its influence on a country's economic growth and its contribution towards better socio-economic conditions. The decisions to venture into entrepreneurship are controlled by various factors and it is a planned behaviour and not necessarily an accidental occurrence.

The primary objective of this research paper was to assess the entrepreneurial intent and perseverance for secondary school learners in Ka-Nyamazane Township.

Grade 12 learners in four secondary schools were surveyed by means of a self-answered questionnaire which consisted of 29 questions. The questionnaire contained the demographics section, the Individual Entrepreneurial Intent Scale (IEIS) section, the Grit-S section and future plans beyond the grade 12 section.

The research findings concluded that the entrepreneurial intent and the level of perseverance amongst learners is high. Based on the study, there is no doubt that there is an urgency for the youth to be equipped with entrepreneurial skills so that it could have an impact on the level of youth being absorbed into the labour market and venture into the field of entrepreneurship. It is essential for learners to be aware that entrepreneurship is a career option that is available to them. Learners should be exposed to the field of entrepreneurship so that they could develop more interest and have an entrepreneurial mindset. The literature review suggests that entrepreneurship education could be a positive influence on entrepreneurial intention.

It is suggested in the literature review that by acquiring basic knowledge about entrepreneurship during a person's elementary stage could foster a positive attitude towards entrepreneurial intent. Entrepreneurship needs to be nurtured to all learners so they could acquire the necessary skills to venture into this field given that the two major finds suggest that the entrepreneurial intent and the level of perseverance amongst learners is high.

Abstract based directly on the original