The Cross River State Government has expanded entrepreneurship education to 100 secondary schools across the state as part of efforts to nurture a new generation of business-minded youths and strengthen the state’s long-term economic development strategy.
The initiative, implemented through the Cross River State Microfinance and Enterprise Development Agency (MEDA), forms part of the entrepreneurship and enterprise development programmes highlighted in “The MSME Story” documentary released to showcase the achievements of Governor Bassey Otu’s administration in the micro, small and medium enterprises sector.
According to the documentary, the programme, known as the People First Enterprise Clubs, seeks to introduce students to entrepreneurship at an early stage by equipping them with practical business knowledge, leadership skills, innovation capacity and financial literacy.
The initiative is designed to complement conventional classroom learning by exposing students to enterprise development principles and encouraging them to identify business opportunities within their communities.
The documentary noted that the expansion of entrepreneurship education reflects the administration’s broader objective of creating a culture of self-reliance, innovation and productivity among young people.
Officials said the programme aligns with Governor Otu’s vision of building a sustainable enterprise ecosystem capable of producing future entrepreneurs, employers of labour and business leaders.
MEDA had earlier launched the People First Entrepreneurship Clubs and Competitions across the state’s senatorial districts, providing participating schools with training materials, enterprise kits, logbooks and other resources to support entrepreneurial activities among students.
The documentary stated that the initiative has helped stimulate interest in business development among students while encouraging creativity, problem-solving and innovation.
It added that the government considers entrepreneurship education a critical tool for tackling youth unemployment and preparing students for emerging opportunities in the modern economy.
The programme complements other youth-focused interventions under the state’s MSME development framework, including the Campus CEO initiative for university students, the Youth Local Entrepreneurship and Acceleration Programme (YOU-LEAP), and digital skills development schemes targeting young entrepreneurs.
The state government also included entrepreneurship classes in secondary schools among the key enterprise development projects contained in its budgetary and MSME development framework, underscoring its commitment to institutionalising entrepreneurship education across the state.
Stakeholders in the education and business sectors have consistently argued that introducing entrepreneurship at the secondary school level could help reduce dependence on white-collar jobs by encouraging students to develop practical business skills and innovative thinking from an early age.
The documentary maintained that the expansion of entrepreneurship education is already helping to shape a new generation of young people with the skills and mindset required to drive economic growth and enterprise development in Cross River State.
It added that the government would continue to strengthen programmes aimed at equipping young people with the knowledge, skills and opportunities necessary to participate meaningfully in the state’s evolving economy.
