daniel chigunwe
Business Writer
Four schools have qualified for this year’s Capital Market High School Quiz Competition and are set to battle for honours in the finals pencilled for this Thursday.
Midlands Christian College from the Midlands, Mashonaland East’s Munashe High School, Nyanga High School Marist Brothers from Manicaland and Chinhoyi High School, Mashonaland West, shrugged off competition in group stages held in Harare last week.
The quiz was organised by Business Weekly, in partnership with Financial Markets Indaba (FMI).
The competition seeks to enhance the learners’ knowledge and understanding of financial and the capital market. It is tailored to enlighten high school pupils on capital markets and the stock exchange and how the two contribute to economic development.
ZB Financial Holdings (ZBFH) is the headline sponsor for the competition, while Zimswitch Technologies is the gold sponsor.
Other sponsors are Delta Limited, Old Mutual Zimbabwe, Tika Shoes and Novitel Capital. Technical partners are the Securities and Exchange Commission of Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange, IPAZ and the Zimbabwe Mercantile Exchange.
In her official remarks at the event, ZBFH executive head of marketing, Ms Cynthia Muzira, represented by Ms Kezinet Ndlovu, said the quiz was of paramount importance, which “feels us with purpose”.
“I am honoured to share in a vision that reaches beyond this generation. A vision that can change lives and shape the future of our learners. A world where every child under- stands the meaning of true worth and how to work for it,” she said.
“This is the world we try to build for our children. Together, we stand united in our mission to empower our learners and lock their full potential as we strive to create happy people. Challenges are there and will always be there, but today we bridge the gap by being here and partnering for this worthy cause.”
She added that ZBHF was creating a nurturing environment that leaves no one behind, creating a world where every child understands the meaning of true wealth and how to work for it.
“Today we create a siphon of change and happy people,” she said.
Director of Investor education at the Securities and Exchange Commission of Zimbabwe (SECZim) Ms Farai Mpofu commended FMI and Business Weekly for their efforts in mounting the educational quiz.
“We salute you learners and your teachers for demonstrating such excellence,” she enthused.
Ms Mpofu said the commission was planning to engage with schools to discuss topics on financial literacy and the capital market, indicating their commitment to education and outreach.
“I am happy to announce that when we make these visits we will be making available to you our toolkit, which contains everything you need to know about the capital market,” she said.
She noted that the Investment 101 handbook, which many students used for the quiz,was just one of several resources available.
Ms Mpofu encouraged students to use availed resources not only for competition, but also to discuss the topics with family and friends, promoting a self-sustaining and self-funded country through financial discipline.
Pool A winning team, Midlands Christian College’s quiz team captain, Gamuchirai Kamuzonde, expressed pride in both her team’s efforts and success despite being in the midst of exams.
“Today we stand victorious, but our journey was not without its setbacks, from the countless meetings and study sessions we had prior to the occasion,” she said.
Munashe High School, the Pool B winning team led by Rudaviro Kabvundura, mentioned gaining knowledge about financial markets. Mr Kabvundura said he and his teammates are looking forward to competing in the final round of the quiz competitions.
“I would like to thank the organisers for providing us (learners) with such a platform where we can showcase our knowledge of the capital markets and stock exchanges,” he said.
Nyanga High School Marist Brothers team captain Arnold Musariri expressed joy in their success besides facing a tough competition from other competing schools.
“I want to acknowledge the other teams that pushed us to work harder and also encouraging us to prepare,” said Mr Musariri.
He said he is looking forward to winning in the finals.Jameson High School which came in third position represented by the team captain, Anesu Njenge, encouraged other schools to take part in the Capital Markets High School Quiz competitions as they are beneficial to the participants.
“You learn a lot, especially if you are a Commercial Sciences student, and you get a lot of experience about buying shares, which we are all going to do as soon as we get out of this place.
Bongani Ndlovu