• The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) has announced that applications are now open for its 51st Investment Challenge.
• The Challenge kicks off on 11th March and aims to foster greater financial literacy among local High School learners and University students.
• The JSE is also launching its fourth Virtual Trading Game alongside the Investment Challenge.

If you’re in High School or University with a desire to improve your financial literacy, the Johannesburg Stock Exchange‘s (JSE) latest event may be of interest to you. This as it has opened up applications for its 51st Investment Challenge.

For those unfamiliar with the event, it aims to foster greater financial literacy among South African High School and University students, with the Investment Challenge kicking off on 11th March.

There is a need for it too, with a survey conducted last year finding that financial literacy rates in the country are on the decline. Given how the country finds itself in the midst of an economic downturn, not to mention the fact that the cost of living is only rising, a component level of financial literacy seems more important than ever these days.

Along with the Challenge, the JSE will also be launching its fourth Virtual Trading game, which seeks to expose South African citizens and aspiring investors to real-life investing and trading skills. 

“The games replicate a genuine trading atmosphere, offering participants a risk-free platform to trade JSE listed shares. Thus, targeting South Africans who want to gain practical insights into trading fundamentals and understanding JSE-listed instruments,” it highlighted in a release sent to Hypertext.

“The JSE Investment Challenge and the Virtual Trading Game demonstrates our commitment to educate, empower and create opportunities for South Africans. We believe these vital initiatives make a real impact for participants, helping our pupils, students, citizens and residents make better financial decisions,” added Ralph Speirs, senior CSI officer at the JSE.

In terms of what is up for grabs outside of the aforementioned financial literacy and knowledge, there will be monthly and overall prizes for the top-performing participants.

University students

• Monthly winner prizes – R3 000 in the form of exchange-traded fund vouchers.
• Overall winners’ prizes – Three prizes valued at R120 000 in the form of exchange-traded funds, as well as a trip to an international stock exchange.

High School learners

• Monthly winners’ prizes – R500 each for the month they place first, as well as R500 for the School’s principal and R500 for the supervising teacher.
• Overall annual prizes – Valued at R330 000 will be awarded to high school students in the form of exchange-traded fund vouchers.

South African citizens and residents

• Overall winner prize – The player that achieves the highest return at the end of the competition wins R60 000 in investment vouchers.

If you are interested in the Investment Challenge, University students can register here, while High School learners can head here. For the non-students, budding investors can register here for the Virtual Trading Game.