New Pedagogical Approaches for Teaching Entrepreneurship in Secondary Schools: Six-Month Student Engagement and Outcomes in Cape Town, South Africa

Recent research indicates a gap in entrepreneurship education within secondary schools, particularly in South Africa where there are limited resources and innovative pedagogical approaches to engage students effectively. This action research study employed a qualitative approach involving focus groups, interviews with educators, and pre- and post-intervention assessments of student knowledge and attitudes towards entrepreneurship. Data were collected over six months in Cape Town secondary schools. During the intervention period, there was a significant increase (from 30% to 50%) in students' reported interest in starting their own businesses, indicating that new pedagogical approaches are effective in fostering entrepreneurial aspirations among this demographic. The results suggest that innovative pedagogical strategies can significantly enhance student engagement and the acquisition of entrepreneurial skills within secondary schools. These findings have implications for curriculum development and policy recommendations to support entrepreneurship education. Based on these outcomes, recommendations include integrating new pedagogical techniques into existing entrepreneurship curricula and providing professional development opportunities for educators in teaching these methods effectively.