Entrepreneurial inclinations of primary school children in Tanzania: a case of selected schools

The study aims at exploring pupils’ interest in self-employment, aspiration for small business growth and influencing factors for entrepreneurial intention. Using relevant literature, a conceptual model was developed and tested. A sample survey of 150 pupils from six primary schools in Dar es Salaam was used to test the model. Descriptive statistics tabulation and Chi-square tests were used in analyzing data. The findings suggest that the majority of pupils have strong interest in self-employment after completing schools. The main factors influencing interest in self-employment are teaching methodologies, the medium of instruction, intelligence quotience, example used when teaching in the classroom and the school curriculum that facilitate creativity. The gender concept has not brought any relationship on entrepreneurial growth aspiration among primary pupils. More efforts are needed to develop interest in small business establishment among schools pupils specifically to areas where the available school curriculum, medium of instruction and the teaching methodologies do not encourage pupils to do so. Parents on the other hand need to develop well-planned business so as to influence children interest in self-employment, as no evidence established on the relationship between parents’ occupation and interest in small business establishment.