Learners and students have taken to the 2021 JSE Investment Challenge with renewed enthusiasm, despite the obstacles posed by the Covid-19 pandemic this year.
The challenge is in its 48th year, with the hunger for investment knowledge among participants growing each month.
While learners, teachers and schools receive prizes for winning the monthly rounds of the competition, their desire to acquire knowledge about investments and building wealth is also a strong motivation.
CSI officer at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) Ralph Speirs said what came with the newly acquired knowledge was not limited to exploring alternative investment options but there was also an appreciation of the fact that investing was a long-term process and there were no quick wins.
“The Investment Challenge aims to drive financial literacy among the South African youth. We want to ensure that when learners and students leave the education environment, they understand how to use their disposable income and acquire healthy saving habits,” said Speirs.
The change has been evident at Mpumelelo Secondary School in Mpumalanga with their team MP Unshaken Traders winning in the recent monthly challenges.
Teacher at the school Sizwe Mtsweni said the community was excited about the investment challenge.
“People are asking me how they can invest in the JSE. The tone is definitely changing among the youth in this community. Our teachers have opened their own trading accounts and are now actively investing,” said Mtsweni.
Giba Mahlangu, teacher at Acudeo College Crystal Park which also won a prize in a recent monthly challenge said, “The appetite for financial knowledge has gone over the roof as a considerable number of our learners have opened their own real trading accounts. They want to apply this knowledge in the real world and are learning about entrepreneurship and all things to do with finance.”
The investment challenge is the JSE’s flagship project for consumer education and part of its corporate social investment initiatives.
