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Michael Tome Business Reporter
DOMINICAN Convent High School, Bulawayo are the winners of the tightly contested inaugural Capital Markets High Schools Quiz Competition, whose final was held at Herald House in Harare on Friday.
The final was contested between St Ignatius, Dominican Convent High School Harare, John Tallach High School and the youthful winners from Dominican Convent High School Bulawayo.
The 2022 edition of the Capital Markets High Schools quiz competition pitted against each other a total of 19 schools from the country’s 10 provinces.
The competition, which was introduced to harness the students’ knowledge and understanding of financial, and capital markets, ran from September 16, 2022 to November 4, 2022.
It sought to enlighten high school students on capital markets and the stock exchange and how the two contribute to economic development. Twenty schools were selected from the country’s 10 provinces and are earmarked to compete for honours in the high school quiz competition. Capital markets regulator, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Zimbabwe (SECZim) was the headline sponsor of the quiz competition. Other sponsors were POSB and Ecocash Holdings (Gold), First Capital Bank and Rank Zimbabwe (Silver) College Press (Bronze), Schweppes Zimbabwe, Tika Shoes, Milano, Glass Creations, Hotplate Grill, Schweppes Holdings and Delta Corporation.
Securities and Exchange Commission of Zimbabwe (SecZim), board chairman Yona Banda said the initiative was in line with SecZim’s mandate to promote investor education and financial literacy amongst the broader population of Zimbabwe, having recently gathered that Zimbabwe prides itself with high levels of academic literacy but very low levels of financial literacy.
“Our vision as SecZim is that financial literacy should be initiated from the primary education level in order to ensure that our youngsters have a firm foundation when it comes to financial matters. Therefore we found it necessary to be the headline sponsor for the Capital Markets High Schools Quiz Competition.
“This competition, as has been witnessed in the recorded sessions, harnesses the students’ knowledge and understanding of financial and capital markets and prepares them not just for career preferences later in life, but also readies them to participate as investors or issuers of securities,” said Banda
Business Weekly Editor Herbert Zharare said the publication hatched the high schools quiz competition as a means to bring the youngsters closer to issues of financial literacy and to enhance their understanding of monetary issues at an early stage.
“As Business Weekly, working with our partner, Financial Markets Indaba, we took a decision to help shape the national business agenda by creating a platform where economic actors meet and deliberate on issues that affect us today and potentially tomorrow and proffer solutions.
“If we want to raise a nation alive to developments in their economy, our children should be introduced to these concepts at a tender age,” said Mr Zharare.
In a speech read on her behalf by Dr Patrick Ngandini, Secretary for Primary and Secondary Education Tumisang Thabela said the programme was crucial in molding the scholars to become creators and innovators capable of changing the financial terrain in the country.
She said was elated to see learners participating in the quiz with unhindered interest in financial matters.
“The goal of the Capital Markets High School quiz competition is to highlight and recognise the role played by capital markets in economic development and preservation and growth of household servings, I want to congratulate the organizers of this event because what you are doing is in line with the requirements of the Competency-Based Curriculum which promotes financial and critical thinking among others though debates and quizzes” said Mrs Thabela..
She commended Zimpapers for initiating the quiz programme. Zimbabwe Stock Exchange (ZSE) head of markets Kudakwashe Mundowozi said the high schools quiz competition had given a chance to instill financial literacy and introduce a new narrative to the youths digressing from the norm where financial literacy was self-taught.
“We encourage parents, the education systems and all stakeholders here present to continue nurturing students in this field which help them have the financial literacy that they so much require, even outside of this competition,” said Mr Mundowozi.
With an average age of 15 years Gladys Mangwiro, Kimberly Mazhambe, Kimberly Moyo, and Victoria Shumba from the Dominican Convent High School Bulawayo said the final was a really tough and emotional experience, given that they were the youngest amongst contenders that were doing their Advanced level.
“We competed with the best schools in this final and here we are, although it was tough we kept being confident because we had thoroughly prepared for the final, we encourage schools to continue nurturing such programs which are financially insightful, particularly to the teenagers ” they said.
They said the competition was necessary given its ability to instill life skills especially when it comes to handling finances and investment.
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