The government wants pupils to be more enterprising

A survey by charity Business Dynamics of 450 14 to 19-year-olds found the majority (85%) thought learning about enterprise at school was "a good idea".

It is now compulsory for secondary schools in England to provide at least five days enterprise education a year.

Some teachers felt ill-equipped to teach enterprise, but the government said a �60m investment was being made.

While welcoming the aims of the new curriculum requirement, teachers questioned for the Student Attitudes to Business report said there was a "lack of clarity" about the new scheme.

PUPILS INTERESTED IN SETTING UP A BUSINESS 2001 33% 2003 43% 2004 45% 2005 53%

"Teachers really do feel they need help," said a spokesperson for Business Dynamics, a business education and enterprise charity for young people.

A spokesman for the Department for Education and Skills said: "You have to keep this in context as Business Dynamics have said our enterprise education strategy is working.

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"This is proved as their survey in 2001 showed 32% of young people wanted to run their own business while this years report shows an increase to 53%, the highest figure ever recorded by Business Dynamics' annual survey.

"But to continue our commitment to this initiative, we have committed �60m a year to enable schools to focus on enterprise education."

Efforts were also being made to get schools to share best practice.

The number of girls indicating a desire to go into business was also on the rise, with 51% of girls saying they want to be entrepreneurs, just four percentage points less than the proportion of boys.

In 2004, the divide between the sexes was much greater, with only 35% of girls interested in an entrepreneurial career, compared with 55% of boys.