INFLUENCE OF ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT ON DROPPED OUT HIGH SCHOOL TEENAGE MOTHERS IN NORTH CENTRAL NIGERIA

Abstract

It was observed that majority of young girls dropped out of high schools recently due to early marriage, pregnancy and poverty in North Central Region of Nigeria. This led to the increase of out-of-school children which is now put at over twelve million. Based on this assertion, the researcher seeks to examine whether entrepreneurial skills development do mitigate poverty among now teenage mothers in the region. Two objectives were developed to guide the study. Similarly, two research questions were coined to reach the findings of the study. Furthermore, qualitative approach was used as a research design for the study. Six focus groups were formed to elicit information for the study. Additionally, semi structured interview was developed, thereafter, narrative analysis was adopted to analyse the data. It was discovered from the findings that teenage mothers were engaged in sewing, needle work, laali design and mobile phone repairs which positively influenced their financial autonomy, poverty reduction and overall improving of regional economy of Nigeria in particular and Nigeria in general.