Entrepreneurship Educators

Entrepreneurship Educators Call on Government for Help Written by: Elizabeth Ong

If the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) would have its way, business schools offering Entrepreneurship major option for their commerce and business administration courses must be phased out and convert them to a full-blown course, B.S. Entrepreneurship. That was the challenge posed by Dr. Heracleo D. Lagrada, CHED’s director of the Office of Programs and Standards, during the gathering of over 180 business and entrepreneurship educators and students from all over the country at the recently concluded 7th National ENEDA Conference in Bohol last February. However, in the same conference, some schools outside Metro Manila expressed concern how few students take up Entrepreneurship because it is deemed expensive. Start-up capital is required for course-related projects. Some parents even prefer having their children help out in the farm instead of spending so much money in school. NCR chapter of ENEDA, acknowledges the problem and offers a solution: “Aggressive promotion of entrepreneurship education among parents, and the community in general should propagate the message that the course is one of the most effective ways to attain their dreams of a better livelihood, economic independence, job creation, and wealth creation.” As for the problem of capital, ENEDA NCR suggests that government agencies like DTI, DOST & BIR give special treatment for the students’ incubation projects like a dedicated facility for business registration, discounted or waived fees or dues or taxes, materials and facility accommodation, etc. as they are part of the curriculum requirement. Partnership with the government is possible as attested by Dr. Antonio Lopez on Miriam College’s experience with its MC Cafe when it sought the endorsement of CHED as it sought exemptions and concessions from the BIR. Also in the same conference, the best entrepreneurship student, educator and student business plan pitch were honored in the persons of Jerick Carascal of Ateneo de Naga University, Dr. Aurora Santarin of De La Salle Dasmariñas, and Laverne Castro and Allysa de la Torre of Miriam College, respectively. The conference was organized by the Entrepreneurship Educators Association of the Philippines (ENEDA), a non-stock, non-profit professional organization composed of the nation’s leading colleges, entrepreneurship educators and entrepreneurs. It is the only professional organization recognized by the Commission of Higher Education.

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