The games, which run between 2 September and 14 October, will see 900 grade 10 and 11 learners from around the country discover how business works in the real world. The games are one of the ways SAICA is creating the business leaders of tomorrow.
Gugu Makhanya, SAICA’s senior executive: transformation and growth, explains: “If young people are to realise their full entrepreneurial potential and contribute to the greater economy, we must be active in moulding the youth’s talent, skills and ideas from a young age. This is why SAICA and Coronation have invited 100 learners from every province to participate in the 2017 SAICA & Coronation Business Development Games.
“Among the top lessons learners discover is to think outside the box and create and promote economic opportunity. By using the Commercium board game, we encourage the participating learners to internalise key business lessons. We introduce learners to real business situations and show them some of the daily decisions business leaders have to make to run their companies successfully.
“SAICA also uses the Development Games to introduce learners to chartered accountancy as a career of choice. This is done through motivational talks, career presentations and liaising with SAICA’s Thuthuka Bursary Fund students, who act as facilitators while the learners play the games.”
Wendy Bergsteedt, head of marketing at Coronation Fund Managers, adds, “Our contribution to education is a long-term investment that we take seriously. Over the years, we have established a number of inspiring educational programmes that have changed the lives of many. This initiative aims to do exactly that; inspiring young people to not only understand the business world they are about to enter but to consider how they can be job creators and not only job seekers.”
SAICA, together with provincial departments of education, have selected participating schools. Based on academic performance, the educators select learners who amongst other things must have achieved a minimum of 60% in mathematics.
| Limpopo | 2 September 2017 |
| Mpumalanga | 9 September 2017 |
| North West | 9 September 2017 |
| Free State | 16 September 2017 |
| KwaZulu-Natal | 16 September 2017 |
| Western Cape | 16 September 2017 |
| Gauteng | 23 September 2017 |
| Northern Cape | 4 October 2017 |
| Eastern Cape | 14 October 2017 |
To attend a session, contact Karin Iten on +27 (0)11 621 6913 or e-mail az.oc.acias@inirak.
