Learners mean business

FOURWAYS – The Grade 7s from Education Incorporated got some practical business experience on 24 October when the school hosted its annual market day.

November 12, 2019

Robyn Kirk 1 minute read

Lulu Mabunda sells cooldrinks and sweets in first break. "Later I'll also sell hotdogs and burgers. People here at school like sweet things and I thought they'd sell nicely." Photo: Robyn Kirk

Young entrepreneurs had a chance to apply their business studies lessons practically when they recently held a Market Day at school.

The 10 Grade 7s of Education Incorporated Boutique School in Fourways hosted their sixth annual entrepreneurship day on 24 October. They set up stalls to sell goods and services to their schoolmates in an effort to understand business concepts better. In the month leading up to the day, the schoolchildren needed to come up with a viable business plan, advertise their stalls at the school and purchase merchandise for the day. The market was supervised by economic management studies (EMS) teacher at the school, Beven Tshuma.

Jacqueline Aitchison, the director of Education Incorporated, buys a sweet kebab and some bookmarks from Isabella van Dereydt and Emma Taylor. Photo: Robyn Kirk

“This is a Grade 7 project that we have every year in the third term,” Tshuma told Fourways Review. “It gives the pupils first hand experience in the work they do in EMS.

“After the day is over, the Grade 7s will need to declare their profits and then pay 15 per cent of what they make as ‘tax’, which the school will put in a trust to be used later. I’m so impressed, the kids have been really determined and the preparation for the market day has been good.”

Oratile Lekola and Hannah Paget’s stall beats the heat – during the middle of another Joburg heatwave, they sold slushies to their schoolmates. *Photo: Robyn Kirk*

The Grade 7s – either as groups or as individuals – had two opportunities to run their stalls on the day: they had 15 minutes to sell during the first break, and then an hour in the afternoon to sell as well.

“It was tough to organise buying the products with my mom, but I’ll hopefully make a profit,” said Stefne Naude, who sold baked goods from her stall.