Education Attainment and Women Entrepreneurship in Uganda: A Perspective

Abstract

This study examined the impact of education attainment on women's desire and capacity to venture into entrepreneurship in Bunyoro sub-region, Uganda. The study was guided by the Human Capital Theory, which emerged in the 1960s through the works of Theodre Schultz in 1962. The theory holds that education enhances an individual’s efficiency and productivity skills, which in return increases the earnings of that individual in the labor market, as well as his/her capacity to manage own business. The study adopted a descriptive correlation research design, primarily to determine the relationship between education attainment and women entrepreneurship in Bunyoro sub-region of Uganda. The mixed methods approach was used in data collection and 365 residents of Bunyoro participated in the study. Questionnaires were used to collect quantitative data, while key informants were interviewed for qualitative data. The study findings show that education attainment has a significant positive relationship with women entrepreneurship. This suggests that a high level of education attainment increases women's potentials and capacity to own and successfully manage a business.