The challenges of Ilaje youth in combining education with artisanal fishing in Ondo State, Nigeria.

Abstract

The study examined how Ilajes in-school youth entrepreneurs combined their education with fishing activities in Ondo State. It examined their personal characteristics, period of involvement and educational activities. Simple random sampling was used to gather data from 63 youth fishers. Data revealed that the respondents were all males and were mostly between the ages of 15 and 18 years (66.7%). Majority (80.5%) were enrolled in formal education. Fishing was done 4 - 6 times weekly (69.8%), in the mornings (87.3%) and in the evenings (100%). All respondents fished after 3pm in the afternoons while 79.4% did so between 6 and 8 am in the mornings. Studiousness was high (70.5%) on a daily basis. Within a month, 72.1% were never late to school while 75.4% were never absent from school. Respondents combined their fishing entrepreneurship activities in a sustainable manner that did not conflict with their educational activities. Capacity building is recommended to enhance efficiency of the respondents in their entrepreneurship activities. Furthermore, respondents should be offered investment opportunities in which they could put some portion of their earnings to avoid reckless spending. Another possible opportunity is to encourage them to also form cooperatives to enhance accessibility to improved fishing facilities and credit.