The number of entrepreneurship education programs (EEP) has increased exponentially over the past two decades. However, a systematic review has not yet been carried out to confirm the effectiveness of EEPs and their presence in the current global world. The main objective of this study was to provide a systematic synthesis of EEP, exploring their characteristics and effectiveness. The search was carried out in the following databases: Scopus, Web of Science, ProQuest, and ERIC. Twenty-nine articles were included, with programs developed mainly in European (n = 15), Asian (n = 6), and American (n = 5) countries. The programs were primarily aimed at higher education students (n = 17), addressing business plans and the development of entrepreneurial skills. However, greater attention is paid to entrepreneurial skills in both primary and secondary education. The development of the programs under analysis varied between one week and two years. The studies showed the effectiveness of most of these programs in promoting entrepreneurial skills at all levels of education. In turn, there was no verified increase in the intention to start a business since this intention is determined by predisposition, namely socio-cultural and family aspects. This systematic review of the EEP points to the need for this type of program to be preferentially developed in the early school years, since it is at that time that predispositions are created for the development of entrepreneurial skills and intentions. This condition is corroborated by the global geography of the EEP, which demonstrates that, where there is currently an entrepreneurial culture, countries have made a long educational journey, with strategic options from the perspective of educational policies defending entrepreneurship among the younger generations.

This study aims to develop and evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of an intervention program designed to foster soft skills among primary-school students. Conducted in Portugal, the program employed face-to-face sessions and involved 2958 fourth-grade students from nine municipalities. The program “Players of Dreams” (PD) [“Brincadores de Sonhos”] is an active learning approach that encourages students and other educational community members to engage actively in the learning process. The PD content was derived from a literature review and interviews with primary school teachers regarding the essential skills for success in life, like the considerable skills of an entrepreneurial culture. The PD program utilized group dynamics, pedagogical narratives/storytelling, visual thinking strategies (diagrams and illustrations), family involvement in activities, and specially prepared songs to facilitate learning. Teachers who implemented the program underwent 25 h of classroom training on entrepreneurial pedagogy and received a manual for conducting PD sessions. Students completed activities in their PD manuals and corresponding evaluation forms throughout the program The results provide preliminary evidence to support the benefits of implementing the intervention. The facilitators observed changes in student behavior related to the promotion of confidence, responsibility, sociability, and autonomy. The PD program shows promise for engaging young students and fostering the growth of an entrepreneurial culture. Future research could assess the effectiveness of PD in delivering education and support interventions, while longitudinal studies could provide valuable quantitative and qualitative data to inform educational policies for primary schools.