Proposal to Include Entrepreneurial Skills Development Programmes in the School Curriculum

Junior Achievement South Africa

It has to be recognized that even under the best education system, there are learners who will not continue with further education and in the current economic environment in South Africa, appear to have little chance of obtaining work in a competitive employment market.

“In 2005, four million young people between the ages of 15 and 24 were part of the South African labour force, which means they were available for a job. Of those, 65 per cent – or 2,6 million – were unemployed”. Centre for Development and Enterprise: South Africa’s ‘Door Knockers’: Young people and unemployment in metropolitan South Africa(2008).

The current South African school curriculum does not provide for practical skills development in the understanding and management of economics, business, entrepreneurship and personal finances, leaving little scope for school leavers, as an alternative, to shape a future for themselves through the establishment of a business.  

With the disappointing matric results of 2009, exacerbated by the statistics on school drop out rates, the case for encouraging enterprise education and entrepreneurship is stronger now than ever before. It is estimated that only one third of all learners who enrol in grade 1 continue their schooling up to grade 12.

For the past 30 years, Junior Achievement South Africa has been providing enterprise education to young people of all ages, across the country, in both rural and urban environments. Children as young as 8 years of age are exposed to entrepreneurial and business activities in a fun and interactive manner. Over the past 30 years, over 381 000 young people have participated in our programmes.

The purpose of Junior Achievement SA is to prepare young people for life after school by raising their awareness of economic issues, teaching them entrepreneurial and life skills, providing them with an understanding of the business world and enhancing their sense of personal responsibility through practical business experience. By contributing to their personal growth, we improve the employability and business capacity of young people.

Supported by Junior Achievement Worldwide, Junior Achievement SA is a nationwide, autonomous, non-profit organisation. Registered as an educational trust and subject to the governance of an independent Board of Directors and Board of Trustees, Junior Achievement SA provides its stakeholders with responsible, effective management and the tax advantages associated with an educational trust. Junior Achievement SA is managed by a small team based in Johannesburg with agents operating in all nine provinces. Programmes are offered throughout South Africa.

Our research has proved that the impact of our programmes is significant, with many of our graduates starting their own businesses or entering the workplace with ability and confidence.

The need to focus on the development of entrepreneurial skills in these young people is self evident. Our school curriculum should encourage enterprise development and include critical life skills that supplement and enhance the formal education system.

Junior Achievement SA Programmes in the School Curriculum

Research conducted by Junior Achievement SA in 2005 revealed that the Junior Achievement SA programmes are fully aligned to the current school curriculum. Not only are the programmes fully aligned but they enhance and add enormous value to learning in schools. Programmes address the three pillars of entrepreneurship, workplace readiness and financial literacy.

High School Curriculum

To date, all high school programmes have been offered as optional extra mural activities.

The flagship programme, the Mini Enterprise Programme, requires participants to launch and manage a small business during the course of the programme.

The outcomes of the programme include young people equipped with the necessary skills to establish a business, improved employability of young people both in-school and out of school, who want to become employed and improved capacity of young people to enter tertiary level education, in particularly business, management and commercial subjects.

It is proposed that the appropriate Junior Achievement SA programmes be included as a compulsory requirement of the life skills component of the school curriculum for each grade in high school. The range of Junior Achievement SA programmes for high school learners ensures a suitable programme per grade.

Primary School Curriculum

All primary school programmes have been offered to schools for inclusion within the school day. All the programmes have been extremely successfully integrated into the curriculum and have been met with great enthusiasm by the educators.

The flagship primary school programme, the Enterprise Dynamics Programme, comprises a series of four programmes that teach young people how the world of economics, and the world of business, works.

It is proposed that the appropriate Junior Achievement SA programme be included in the school curriculum for all primary school learners from grades 4 to 7.

Conclusion

There is no doubt that the Junior Achievement SA programmes have made an enormous contribution to the entrepreneurship and life skills education of our learners. In addition, anecdotal evidence indicates that participants approach their school work with renewed vigour after participating in our programmes, with many of them showing a marked improvement in their marks.

In order to afford as all learners the opportunity to participate in our programmes, Junior Achievement SA is looking to develop and maintain strong partnerships with the public and private sectors.

Junior Achievement SA requests an opportunity to present an oral submission to the portfolio committee on the above proposals. We will avail ourselves at the earliest opportunity.