Online Reporter
Business Reporter
MARIST Brothers Nyanga from Manicaland was the overall winner of the 2025 Capital Markets High Schools Quiz competition, which saw 40 high schools from across the country participate.
Hosted by Zimpapers in partnership with Financial Markets Indaba, the competition was supported by sponsors including Old Mutual, POSB, Delta, Innscor, Zimswitch, Tingamira, and Tika Shoes.
As champions, Marist Brothers Nyanga received $3 000 for their school, with each participating learner awarded $100.
Zengeza High 1 secured second place, walking away with $2 000 for the school and $50 for each participating learner and teacher.
Marist Brothers Nyanga also got another US$1 000 in prize money directly from the Securities and Exchange Commission of Zimbabwe.
Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) Deputy Director Bank Supervision Mrs Rachel Mushosho was the Guest of Honour at the fourth editiono of the quiz.
In her remarks, Mrs Mushosho commended Zimpapers and Financial Markets Indaba for initiating and hosting the event.
She also expressed gratitude to the Securities and Exchange Commission of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Stock Exchange, Zimbabwe Mercantile Exchange, Financial Securities Exchange, and Chengetedzai Depository Company for their collaboration, material provision, and adjudication.
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education was also thanked for facilitating the public-private partnership.
Mrs Mushosho stated that the primary objectives of the initiative are “promoting financial literacy, career pathway exposure, demystifying capital markets, and broadening the investor base.”
She stressed the importance of the programme’s sustainability in “shaping Zimbabwe’s future economic landscape,” noting its alignment with Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030 and the National Financial Inclusion Strategy II (2022-2026), which identifies young people as a key target group.
“By empowering students with a solid understanding of capital markets, we are laying the groundwork for stronger economic participation, practical financial decision-making, and long-term investor engagement,” she said.
Highlighting the importance of financial literacy, Mrs Mushosho referenced findings from the 2022 FinScope Consumer Survey.
The survey revealed that while national financial inclusion improved from 69 percent to 83 percent, the uptake and usage of financial services remained low, with financial illiteracy identified as a major factor.
Access to capital market products showed only a marginal increase from 1 percent in 2014 to 2 percent in 2022.
The survey attributed this low participation to a “lack of awareness or financial education,” citing low awareness levels for terms such as shares (30 percent), stock exchange (26 percent), and unit trusts (16 percent).
The National Financial Inclusion Strategy aims to increase the percentage of the adult population with investments in capital markets from 2 percent in 2022 to 5 percent by 2026, with consumer empowerment through improved financial literacy as a key component.
Financial Markets Indaba maniging director Mr Patrick Muzondo, extended appreciation to all participating schools, students, teachers, and coaches, acknowledging their “unwavering dedication and passion” over the preceding five months.
He congratulated Marist Nyanga High School, noting their achievement was “a testament to hard work, teamwork, and academic excellence.”
Mr Muzondo affirmed that the initiative aimed to “cultivate critical life skills, encouraging curiosity, and nurturing a generation prepared to make sound financial decisions.”
Old Mutual, a key sponsor, stated that cultivating future generations of informed investors and financially literate citizens is “critically important” and aligns with the company’s long-term vision of “driving financial wellness, inclusion, and societal transformation.”
The company highlighted its “On The Money Financial Education Program” and “$mart Money Kids Holiday Bootcamp,” alongside the quiz, as initiatives addressing a national gap in financial education.
These programmes have reportedly reached over 1.5 million individuals digitally and trained tens of thousands face-to-face across various demographics in Zimbabwe.
Old Mutual stated that fostering financially literate future generations is “essential to Old Mutual’s purpose, impact, and legacy.”
Speaking on behalf of CEO Anymore Taruvinga, Mrs Farai Mpofu, Director of Investor Education at the Securities and Exchange Commission of Zimbabwe (SECZ), extended congratulations to all stakeholders and participants of the “vibrant celebration of academic prowess in pursuit of financial literacy.”
Mrs Mpofu commended every student, teacher, and institution, noting that the initiative, a collaboration between Financial Markets Indaba and Zimpapers “demonstrates a shared commitment to investing in our future, a future shaped by knowledge, innovation, and economic participation.”
Mrs Mpofu highlighted that the 2025 competition inaugurated practical trading on the capital market through the C-Trade Platform, whose outcomes contributed to the finalists’ scores.
She underscored the importance of financial education, asserting that “financial literacy is no longer a luxury, it is a necessity,” enabling young people to become “active participants in the economy, not just observers,” and demystifying the financial sector.
She concluded by calling the quiz “a movement to build a Zimbabwe that is financially literate, economically resilient, and globally competitive.”
Mr David Makacha, Public Relations Manager for POSB, noted the “incredible journey” from 40 schools down to the eight finalists, praising the talent, confidence, and curiosity displayed.
He acknowledged the efforts of the organisers and co-sponsors, stating that POSB has been a sponsor “since the inception of the Quiz Competition” and that this year’s edition was particularly special as it coincided with the bank’s 120th anniversary of “transforming livelihoods of Zimbabweans.”
Mr Makacha emphasised POSB’s role as “more than just a bank—we are your cheerleaders,” asserting that “the future of this country lies in young people like you here.”
He reiterated the vital importance of financial knowledge, describing it as “lifelong game-changers” for individuals saving for small goals or building future empires.
Mr Makacha detailed POSB’s commitment to making “financial know-how feel normal, doable, even fun” through products like youth accounts and outreach visits that provide access to knowledge and services regardless of location.
He encouraged the finalists to utilise their acquired knowledge for entrepreneurial ventures, urging them to “create employment instead of waiting to be employed.”
Addressing teachers and parents, he acknowledged them as “the quiet heroes behind these students’ success” and concluded that “everyone is a winner” in the quiz, as “nothing surpasses the knowledge you have gained. For every wrong answer, you were immediately given the correct one.”
