Eskom powers entrepreneurship in high school children
JOBURG – State-owned power utility, Eskom has been powering the development of entrepreneurs in schools for the past six years.
Power utility giant Eskom is on a mission to grow entrepreneurial skills and create industrialists of the future among the country’s high school children.
The Eskom Development Foundation’s Simama Ranta School Entrepreneurship Education Competition has been designed to empower youngsters with the necessary knowledge and skills required to become industrialists of the future.
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The foundation has taken a leaf from the Zulu proverb sigoqwa sisemanzi which translates to ‘teach them while they are still young’ and has embarked on a countrywide programme to equip high school children with the necessary tools to become successful entrepreneurs.
The project was initiated in 2010 and identifies and celebrates high schools that have a successful entrepreneurship education programmes running in their schools. The project requires schools to operate enterprise clubs that teach pupils the basics of running a business through practical application.Speaking at the Simama Ranta School Entrepreneurship Education Competition, the Deputy Minister of Public Enterprises, Dikobe Ben
Martins dismissed the notion that government was a driver and creator of jobs. “Government is not an employment agency and as such cannot create any jobs. All it can do is to create an environment or climate that is considered conducive to investors to set up businesses and thereby create the needed jobs.
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“What is being done here today by Eskom is part of that environment or climate to lure young people into the entrepreneurial space in the hope they get hooked and develop themselves to become the future job providers through their business enterprises.”
Martins said he hoped the current crop of entrepreneurs in the Eskom programme would grow their skills and develop their businesses and ideas to become the future job creators and play a meaningful role in the economy of the country.
“This is part of the desired economic transformation of our country, piece by piece. I hope in a few years I can see some of you having grown to become powerful industrialists that we and Eskom can be proud of.”
Details: Chris Bornman 011 800 2758; chris.bornman@eskom.co.za
