Countdown to today’s Olympiad has begun

MORE than 4 000 pupils from 315 high schools around the country will be writing the annual South African Institute of Chartered Accountants and Sage Pastel accounting Olympiad today.

The challenge is open to Grade 11 and 12 pupils, and schools are allowed 15 participants each. This year, 46 KwaZulu-Natal schools are taking part.

“We were delighted with the increased number of participants. Pastel is included in most school curriculums, so this long-standing partnership with the institute is a perfect fit,” said Sage Pastel Accounting’s Joanne van der Walt.

Sibusiso Dlamini, who teaches accounting at Brettonwood High School in Durban, said interest had grown since the Olympiad became a national competition in 2010.

The competition aims to identify talent at school level, popularise accounting as a subject, and draw the link between concepts taught and possible careers in the accounting and business fields.

Brettonwood matric pupil Nobuhle Mkhwanazi said entering the competition last year fuelled her love for the subject and she hoped to be crowned the national winner this year.

“Last year’s paper had some concepts that I had not been exposed to because they are taught in matric, but this year I’m ready,” she said.

Andile Mncwabe missed last year’s challenge but was confident he would do well.

“Those who were previously exposed to the style of questioning might have an advantage, but I don’t know if they are as driven as I am. I put in a lot of hours preparing for this day,” he said.

Unlike Mkhwanazi and Mncwabe, Grade 11 pupil Thando Maphumulo does not wish to pursue a career in accounting, but entered the competition as a way to challenge himself.

“I don’t do badly in the subject and I believe it is always good to challenge oneself to try new things,” he said.

Top scorers stand a chance to win cash prizes but only the national winner will take home an iPad. The accounting teachers of the provincial winners will receive R2 000 each, and the best schools in each province will receive prizes such as desktop computers.