Education and Entrepreneurship in Mali

Abstract

The article examines the link between the education system and entrepreneurship in Mali, in a context where the mismatch between education and employment has become a major challenge. It analyses the dynamics of human capital and the factors influencing career intentions. Faced with severe pressures and the mass entry of young people into the labour market, Mali needs to transform its investment in education into a genuine capacity for value creation.

The study addresses the following question: How does the development of human capital influence the intentions and entrepreneurial actions of young graduates, particularly when the labour market remains heavily dominated by informality?

The article highlights a paradox: despite high expectations regarding schooling (as a stepping stone to the civil service), graduates face difficulties in entering the labour market (unemployment and a shift towards subsistence-based informal work rather than entrepreneurship with growth potential). Conceptually, the article links two dimensions: human capital theory, which suggests that education increases productivity and therefore the ability to engage in entrepreneurial activities; and the empirical realities in Mali, which show that education can also act as a constraint if it fails to sufficiently foster initiative and an entrepreneurial culture, and if institutional constraints increase risk aversion.

To explore this relationship, the article formulates five hypotheses concerning: the influence of education on attitudes towards entrepreneurship; the role of subjective norms (family/social support); the effect of self-efficacy and entrepreneurship training; the existence of disparities related to gender and field of study; and the potentially ambiguous impact of current awareness modules, especially if they are not supported by practical guidance.

Finally, the methodology employs a mixed approach: a descriptive analysis using macroeconomic and social data (EMOP/INSTAT), followed by an econometric analysis using multinomial logistic regression. This model compares employment choices across three categories: entrepreneurship (starting a business), employment in the private sector or NGOs, and entry into the civil service.

Keywords: Human capital, Entrepreneurial intention, Education, Labour market, Self-efficacy.

Received Date: February 22, 2026

Accepted Date: March 14, 2026

Published Date: April 02, 2026

Available Online at: https://www.ijsrisjournal.com/index.php/ojsfiles/article/view/625