Four economic learners from Greenpoint Secondary School in East London participated in the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) school challenge for 2011, whom have already come home with a victory.
Each year learners from all provinces compete in the JSE school challenge. 24 learners are selected from each participating school, which is divided into six groups of four.
Greenpoint selected their students and were divided into six groups. Amongst these groups there was one group called 12c. This group was given a list of the top 40 performing companies on the JSE and play money of 1 million rand of which they can spend R600 000. The team then invested in companies of their choice which were “Nedbank, Mass Mart, MTN Group, ARM Bidvest, Lonmin and ABSA.”
Learners have to watch this money grow, and each month they can buy and sell shares as they wish. There are monthly prizes of R3 000 to the team that’s money grows the most for that month and in September there will be an overall winner, which would be the team that’s shares made the most profit margin.
Greenpoint’s team 12c won R3 000 in the month of May. R500 goes to each participating learner, R500 for the school and R500 to the teacher. Most learners now want to invest their money in the JSE. Keegan Nel says “this has really opened my eyes on the business world, all the different businesses and what’s happening in them.”
Michelle Weppelman accounting teacher was so excited and proud of the students that won the prize in May and is holding thumbs for them in September. Weppelman says “thank you for participating in this challenge. I hope what you have learnt doesn’t only help you now but in your future as well. Goodluck”.
Source: Eastern Cape Department of Education
