Entrepreneurship Education Philippines

In Search of Effective Entrepreneurship Education: The Philippine Case

Conference at Colegio de San Juan de Letran, February 2018

The importance of entrepreneurial activity to the economy is well founded, particularly in the areas of economic growth and job creation. Schools and universities across the world have been actively engaged in the study of entrepreneurship and the development of an entrepreneurship curriculum. The field of entrepreneurship has been one of the most topical areas of study in education in schools and universities throughout the world (Carvalho & Franco, 2015).

SMEs are increasingly a force for enhancing national economic growth and employment. Entrepreneurship creates wealth and reduces unemployment. Entrepreneurs contribute to industrialization as well as to economic growth… Entrepreneurship courses have now found their way into formal education as subjects or full degree courses in the tertiary level. Entrepreneurship education is, by nature, highly experiential and interactive. Technology resources directly impact the delivery  of any distance education program, its curriculum, its pedagogy, in effect “the product”.

Entrepreneurship education differs from more traditional (theoretical) disciplines, because those who are enrolled have both a practical orientation and a need to immediately apply course teachings to their current or prospective ventures.

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In the Philippines, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) pushed the formal integration of entrepreneurship education pursuant to Republic Act No. 7722 as embodied in Memorandum Order No. 17 (CMO # 17) Series of 2005 – Curriculum Requirement for Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurship (BS Entrepreneurship).

Utilizing content analysis of curriculum/syllabuses of entrepreneurship courses in the top entrepreneurship programs in the West (chiefly in the US), results show the following as the features that stand out: (1) Integrated, embedded Curriculum. (2) Mentoring. (3) Creative, Innovative Outcomes. (4) Networking. & (5) Family Entrepreneurship.

Panel comments/critiques: Find out, through primary sources (e.g., interviews), what is unique in Philippine entrepreneurship and entrepreneurs, and thus what is worth highlighting in entrepreneurship course in Philippine educational institutions.