Dear Editor,
Entrepreneurs see opportunities where others see problems. Jamaica's economy is facing many problems and we need entrepreneurs who can see opportunities.
It is a promising sign that the Caribbean Examinations Council has indicated that it will add entrepreneurship among its new generation of subjects to be offered at the CAPE level this September. However, a lot needs to be accomplished. When countries reward entrepreneurial activities, they increase the level of prosperity. Jamaica is struggling with poverty, high levels of debt and crime, and it is commonplace to find young graduates unable to access jobs.
It would be simplistic to suggest that providing entrepreneurial education will solve all of our problems, as our country is full of bureaucratic and legal hurdles for entrepreneurs. The Government of Jamaica will have to provide a favourable environment in which entrepreneurs can thrive, particularly when Jamaica ranks 94 of 189 countries in the World Bank's 2014 Annual Doing Business rankings.
Nonetheless, providing entrepreneurial education at a young age can cultivate the determination to never give up, an eye to see an opportunity where others see problems, a personality which never gets discouraged, an attitude to take obstacles as stepping stones to success, creativity, innovativeness and risk-taking.
Jamaica is proud of our entrepreneurs who made it big in the absence of sound national business policies. Entrepreneurs like Michael Lee-Chin, Vincent Chang, Rita Humphries-Lewis, Lowell Hawthorne, George Yap, Robert Levy, Vincent HoSang, Audrey Marks, and Tariq Malik defied the odds and attained success in domestic and international markets. These entrepreneurs helped Jamaica by earning foreign exchange, development of personnel, creating jobs, improving productivity and donating to worthy causes. Providing entrepreneurial education may encourage our youth to follow their footsteps. Jamaica has developed a great system for producing world champions in track and field. One reason is that track and field training begins at an early age in primary schools. I advocate that the Government of Jamaica promotes entrepreneurial activity in young adults and children from an early age by making entrepreneurial education a formal part of the Jamaican school curriculum. This will foster skills and knowledge needed to start and sustain business and hopefully Jamaica will change her course.
Tashfeen Ahmad
mrtashfeen@hotmail.com
Let's teach entrepreneurship
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Entrepreneurs see opportunities where others see problems. Jamaica's economy is facing many problems and we need entrepreneurs who can see opportunities.
It is a promising sign that the Caribbean Examinations Council has indicated that it will add entrepreneurship among its new generation of subjects to be offered at the CAPE level this September. However, a lot needs to be accomplished. When countries reward entrepreneurial activities, they increase the level of prosperity. Jamaica is struggling with poverty, high levels of debt and crime, and it is commonplace to find young graduates unable to access jobs.
It would be simplistic to suggest that providing entrepreneurial education will solve all of our problems, as our country is full of bureaucratic and legal hurdles for entrepreneurs. The Government of Jamaica will have to provide a favourable environment in which entrepreneurs can thrive, particularly when Jamaica ranks 94 of 189 countries in the World Bank's 2014 Annual Doing Business rankings.
Nonetheless, providing entrepreneurial education at a young age can cultivate the determination to never give up, an eye to see an opportunity where others see problems, a personality which never gets discouraged, an attitude to take obstacles as stepping stones to success, creativity, innovativeness and risk-taking.
Jamaica is proud of our entrepreneurs who made it big in the absence of sound national business policies. Entrepreneurs like Michael Lee-Chin, Vincent Chang, Rita Humphries-Lewis, Lowell Hawthorne, George Yap, Robert Levy, Vincent HoSang, Audrey Marks, and Tariq Malik defied the odds and attained success in domestic and international markets. These entrepreneurs helped Jamaica by earning foreign exchange, development of personnel, creating jobs, improving productivity and donating to worthy causes. Providing entrepreneurial education may encourage our youth to follow their footsteps. Jamaica has developed a great system for producing world champions in track and field. One reason is that track and field training begins at an early age in primary schools. I advocate that the Government of Jamaica promotes entrepreneurial activity in young adults and children from an early age by making entrepreneurial education a formal part of the Jamaican school curriculum. This will foster skills and knowledge needed to start and sustain business and hopefully Jamaica will change her course.
Tashfeen Ahmad
mrtashfeen@hotmail.com
Let's teach entrepreneurship
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