Nurturing tomorrow's business leaders

 

Nedbank and Western Cape Provincial Government nurture tomorrow’s business leaders through schools essay competition

 

March 2011, Cape Town – A partnership between Nedbank, the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) and Provincial Treasury, once again helped make the career dreams of deserving learners across the Western Cape a reality through a sponsorship of 12 tertiary education bursaries in the 2010 Schools Essay Competition.

 

The competition invites grade 11 learners from all of the province’s 213 secondary schools who are taking economics, mathematics or accounting subjects, to write an essay that critically analyses the current economic situation in South Africa.

 

Based on these essay submissions, as well as the quality of their results and an assessment of their financial situations, up to 12 deserving learners are awarded full education bursaries to the value of up to R77 000 each for full-time studies after they matriculate.

 

Since 2009, Nedbank and the Provincial Government of the Western Cape has sponsored several of these bursaries per annum and, according to Remo Moyo, Divisional Executive: Nedbank Corporate, the competition affords the banking group an opportunity to identify talented young people in the Western Cape and assist them, through a quality tertiary education, to realise their potential to become tomorrow’s business leaders and captains of industry.

 

‘Given the shortage of essential business skills in South Africa, organisations have a responsibility to work with government in growing the next generation of mathematicians, economists, decision makers and thinkers,’ says Moyo, ‘so that they have the ability to continue the work that has been started in developing the country’s economy and driving its continued growth into the future.’

 

According to Alan Winde, Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Tourism, the province’s economy requires a major influx of financially trained employees in order to grow:  ‘We are striving to become the financial services hub of South Africa, and eventually, Africa.  The DA-led Western Cape already has the infrastructure, environment and reputation to attract large companies to our shores. As soon as we have a good supply of skilled employees, our offering will be significantly stronger.  By educating our learners in these subjects, we are kick-starting the chain reaction we need for job- and employment-generating growth.’ 

 

‘Education has a key role to play in the sustainable economic growth and development of our country,’ Donald Grant, Minister of the Western Cape Education Department, points out, ‘and by making these bursaries available through the essay competition, we are not only offering the winners an opportunity to create the futures they desire but, hopefully, enabling them to become tomorrow’s creators of opportunities for others.’

  

Continues Grant, ‘while the focus is deservedly on the learners today, it is important that we laud the educators who played a vital role in providing their guidance and support.’

 

The winners, and bursary recipients in the 2010 Nedbank, Western Cape Provincial Treasury and the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) Cape Essay Writing competition were announced at held in Cape Town on 12 March. This year, there were 12 bursary recipients, and the top three winners of the competition were Minke Knipe from Bloemhof Girls High (first prize), Matthew Budden from Rondebosch Boys High (second prize) and Chane Bredenkamp (Bloemhof Girls High) (third prize).

 

Minke was overwhelmed with having being chosen as the overall winner. ‘I’m filled with gratitude for the opportunity provided to me to further my studies in the field of BCom Economics,’ said Minke.  She would like to follow in the footsteps of her mom, who is her role model, and one day run her own business or possibly fill the role of Chief Financial Officer for Nedbank, she quipped. 

 

The other bursary recipients are:

 

Name	School
Minke Knipe	Bloemhof Girls High
Mattheew Budden	Rondebosch Boys High
Chane Bredenkamp	Bloemhof Girls high
Anzel van der Westhuizen	Bloemhof Girls High
Roxanne Walmsley	Point High School
Reghard van Niekerk	Outeniqua High School
Eloise Leibrandt	Abbotts College
Daniel Clark	Rondebosch Boys High
Douw Steyn	Point High School
Labeeqah Cader	Harold Cressy
Charelle Roman	George High School
Saretha Potgieter	Bloemhof Girls High

 

‘Apart from rewarding deserving candidates who have the skills and aptitude, but not the financial means to study further,’ concludes Moyo, ‘the success of this competition is evidence of what can be achieved through effective public and private sector partnerships to make a tangible difference in the lives of South Africans.’

 

Ends.

 

 

For more information:

 

Joanne Isaacs

Nedbank Group Communications

Tel: +27 11 295 8045

Cell: +27 78 800 4989

Email: Joannei@nedbank.co.za

 

Tammy Evans

Spokesperson for Minister Alan Winde

 Tel:  021 483 4327

Cell: 082 378 2235

Fax:  021 483 3892