At That Point
  • home
  • services
  • about us
  • our work
  • our thoughts
  • SAIPA Newsroom

Numbers in SAIPA’s Accounting Olympiad are on the rise

11/9/2017

0 Comments

 
There has been a marked increased in the number of schools and learners participating in this year’s National Accounting Olympiad due to a growing interest in the Accountancy Profession as well as massive awareness drive initiated by the South African Institute of Professional Accountants (SAIPA), says Zobuzwe Ngobese, Marketing and Business Development Executive at SAIPA.
 
“The increase from 310 to 390 schools and 3510 to 7069 learners is quite encouraging and is also due to the fact that in 2017 we introduced the Olympiad to grade 11 for the first time. Next year we want to reach even more schools to make the subject of accounting popular again because our economy needs more accountants in order to grow,” he says.
 
The top four Grade 12 learners nationally, in no specific order, are Adam Melnick from Yeshiva College in Gauteng, Juanè Cronjè from Die Hoërskool DF Malan in the Western Cape, Philip Visagè from Hugenote High School also in the Western Cape and Sara Saleh of Lenasia Muslim School in Gauteng.
 
Gauteng had the most schools participating in the Olympiad, accounting for 145 of the 390 schools that took part.
 
SAIPA has this year opened the competition to Grade 11 pupils for the first time since the inception of the competition in 2002, with the top five national candidates in this division, in no specific order, being Alet Muller from Hoër Meisieskool Bloemhof in the Western Cape, Deandre De Meyer of Stellenberg High School located in the Western Cape, Felicia Makondo of EPP Mhinga Secondary School in Limpopo, Nabeel Fazluddin from King Edward VII School in Gauteng and Sean Scorer from Amanzimtoti High School          in KwaZulu-Natal.
 
On October 10th, SAIPA will be announcing the Grade 11 and Grade 12 winners at a Gala Awards evening in Johannesburg.
 
Broadening the scope
In addition to including Grade 11 pupils in the competition, SAIPA has also partnered with Gauteng with Future Forward, which specialises in developing youth orientated intervention programs. The institute’s regional administrators have this year purposefully targeted additional schools in their areas.
 
The aim with the Olympiad, which is open to pupils studying Accountancy or Mathematics in private and public schools, is to make Accounting a subject of choice for learners and to expose them as early as possible to the Accountancy profession, says Ngobese.
 
Performance indicators
The competition is divided into two rounds and Grade 11 pupils had to achieve a score of 60% or more to advance to the second round and Grade 12 pupils had to score 65% or more to qualify for writing the second paper.
 
Out of the 1 750 learners in Grade 11, 255 progressed to the second round and 1 095 out of 5 319 in Grade 12 went on to write the second paper. The overall result for the 5 319 learners in Grade 12 shows that the majority – 2 495 learners - scored 40% or more.
 
In the case of Grade 11 pupils, only 14.5% of the 1 750 pupils scored 60% or more in the final round. The majority – 955 pupils – scored 40% or more.
 
The top performers will receive a bursary, valued between R10 000 and R25 000, which is paid to the tertiary institution of their choice.
 
“This year the bursary is subject to the recipients pursuing studies in the Accountancy profession. The main aim with the competition is to grow the numbers in the profession,” remarks Ngobese.
 
Maintaining high standards
Ngobese says both papers in the competition have been moderated. “They are challenging, but doable,” he says, adding that the results of the Grade 11 pupils are a reflection of the fact that this is the first time they have been exposed to the competition.
 
“We are confident that the results will improve. The Grade 12 pupils have had access to a study guide, compiled by SAIPA, with past examination papers. The Grade 11 pupils will have access to that in the Olympiads going forward.”
 
Ngobese notes that part of SAIPA’s future strategy is to open the Olympiad to pupils from Grade 10 to Grade 12. He says in many instances pupils have already made their career decisions when they reach their final school year.
 
“If we can expose pupils as early as possible to Accountancy as a profession the more likely it is that they will choose it as their career path.”
 
Accounting is a critical skill and with the threat of Mathematics no longer being compulsory at high school, the numbers may start dwindling, says Ngobese.

ENDS

MEDIA CONTACT: Idéle Prinsloo, 082 573 9219, idele@thatpoint.co.za, www.atthatpoint.co.za  
 
For more information on SAIPA please visit:
Website: www.saipa.co.za
Twitter: @SAIPAcomms
LinkedIn: South African institute of Professional Accountants Company
Facebook: South African Institute of Professional Accountants
0 Comments

SAIPA invests in sustainable futures for students

7/6/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
Author: Zobuzwe Ngobese, Marketing & Communications Executive,
South African Institute of Professional Accountants (SAIPA)
 
The growth of a country, and an organisation, not only hinges on strategic goals and long-term vision, but on the youth that will one day populate its halls.  The South African Institute of Professional Accountants (SAIPA) recognises the importance of investing in the next generation of accountants and has launched a new student membership platform to support students as they move through university and into careers as professional accountants.
 
To ensure growth and sustainability, it is important to think about the future pipeline and engage with up and coming accountants while they are still at university. Our student membership has been designed to introduce students to the profession so they can grow to understand the landscape, be exposed to what happens in the profession and, most importantly, not have to wait until they qualify to experience the benefits of belonging to a professional body.
 
SAIPA’s student membership has been structured with student needs and limitations in mind. As many are not earning their own income or salary, the fee has been made extremely accessible at only R100 per year. It allows them a full range of membership benefits alongside additional value-added partnerships which have been included specifically for the student market.
 
It is a significant difference in price from the full membership fee paid by a qualified Professional Accountant (SA) which is R5,000 per annum, while still adding immense value to their personal and professional development.
 
The right exposure

Students taking advantage of the SAIPA student membership will be exposed to accounting firms that are looking for trainees, giving them opportunities for networking that would have been previously unavailable to them. Many professional members are accountants in practice and often look for article clerks or trainees to do articles, providing students with a chance to flex their skills and grow their portfolios. To become a Professional Accountant (SA), candidates first have to complete a Bachelor of Commerce degree, or equivalent, followed by three years of articles and then they have to write and pass the Professional Evaluation examination.
 
Our student membership also allows students to attend some of our prestigious events, such as the annual SAIPA Budget Breakfast where experts analyse the national budget. They can go to these events for free and use them as opportunities to network and be exposed to many potential employers.
 
SAIPA student members will receive copies of the two accounting magazines that are sent to full members as part of their membership package. They outline the latest trends in the accountancy profession, from both a local and global perspective and give students some much-needed insight into the profession.  Then, to add even more value, SAIPA has engaged with various external partners and companies to round off its student offering.
 
If you are a SAIPA member, you get a discount when you purchase your prescribed Juta textbooks from selected retailers. These is just one of the partners we have on board at the moment and we are currently engaging with other organisations to add to our student membership as we move forward.
 
Leading the way
We are not aware of any other professional body that is offering student membership at this time so, as far as we are concerned, we are breaking new ground by welcoming students into our fold so early on in their careers. It is a hugely progressive step that will ensure our profession grows sustainably by encouraging students to expand their skills and networks.
 
To introduce students to the SAIPA offering, representatives of the organisation will be visiting various campuses around the country. Those students that are interested in joining will be automatically added to the student membership database and, once they pay the R100 fee, will become members of the organisation.
 
Students interested in joining SAIPA can contact SAIPA directly to facilitate the process by emailing: studentmember@saipa.co.za
 
By introducing this student membership, we are educating students on how broad the accountancy profession can be and that becoming a chartered accountant is not the only option. Students have responded incredibly well to what we are offering and we look forward to welcoming them to our organisation.
 
ENDS

MEDIA CONTACT: Idéle Prinsloo, 082 573 9219, idele@thatpoint.co.za, www.atthatpoint.co.za  
 
For more information on SAIPA please visit:
Website: www.saipa.co.za
Twitter: @SAIPAcomms
LinkedIn: South African institute of Professional Accountants Company
Facebook: South African Institute of Professional Accountants

0 Comments
    Welcome to the SAIPA newsroom. For releases prior to August 2014 please click here.

    Archives

    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    April 2015
    February 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014

    Categories

    All
    2014/15 Tax Filing Season
    2016 Tax Administration Laws Amendment Bill
    21 February 2018
    4IR
    Accountability
    Accountancy
    Accountants
    Accounting
    Accounting Ethics
    Accounting Institutions
    Accounting Integrity
    Accounting Standards
    Advice For Professional Accountants
    Africa
    Anti-corruption Pledge
    B-BBEEE
    Blockchain
    Bongani Coka
    Brian Purcell
    Bridging The Gap
    Budget 2015
    Budget 2016/17
    Budget Speech 2018
    Business
    Business Budget
    Business Rescue
    Cadre Formation
    Carbon Tax
    Careers
    CEO
    Code Of Ethics
    Companies Act
    Constitution
    Continuing Professional Development
    CPA Ireland
    CPD
    Cryptocurrencies
    Cryptocurrency
    Cyber Crime
    Cyber Security
    Cyril Ramaphosa
    Darren Gorton
    David Van Rooyen
    Davis Commission
    Debt
    Debt Intervention Bill
    Deloitte
    Department Of Basic Education
    Department Of Home Affairs
    Die Hoërskool DF Malan
    Different Types Of Accountants
    Doctoral
    Economic Climate
    Economic Development
    Economic Growth
    Economic Instability
    Economy
    Education
    Empowerment
    Environment
    Estate Planning
    Ethics
    Ettiene Retief
    Exxcellence
    Faith Ngwenya
    Female Entrepreneurs
    FICA
    FICA Bill
    Finance Minister
    Financial Intelligence Centre Act
    Financial Statements
    Fiscus
    Foreign Trade
    Fraud
    Georgina Barrick
    Global Economy
    Government
    Government Institutions
    Grade 11
    Grade 12
    Grant Thornton
    Health Issues
    Honours Degree
    HSBC
    IFAC
    Initial Coin Offerings
    International Business Report
    International Federation Of Accountants
    International Standard Of Review Engagements
    IRC Of SA
    Job Creation
    Job Losses
    Juane Cronje
    KPMG
    Kwa-Zulu Natal
    Large Business Centre
    LBC
    Learners
    Legal
    Malusi Gigaba
    Mandela Day
    Mark Kingon
    Marnus Broodryk
    Masters Degree
    Mathematics
    Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement
    Membership
    Mid-term Budget
    Mini Budget
    Moetapele Programme
    Momorandum Of Understanding
    Money Launderers
    Monitoring Females
    MTBPS
    NAO
    National Accounting Olympiad
    National Budget 2017
    National Consumer Tribunal
    National Credit Amendment Bill
    National Credit Regulator
    National Development Plan
    National Health
    National Imperatives
    National Tax Thesis
    NOCLAR
    Non-compliance
    Non-Compliance With Laws And Regulations
    Norton Rose Fullbright
    Obesity
    PAFA
    Pan African Federation Of Accountants
    Parilament
    Parliament
    Parliament’s Trade And Industry Committee
    Passenger Identity
    Paying Taxes Report 2018
    PE Exam
    Personal Details
    Personal Income Tax
    Pravin Gordhan
    Prem Govender
    Professional Accountants
    Professional Accountant (SA)
    Professional Accounting
    Professional Evaluation Exam
    Project Achiever
    Project Achiever Extended
    Protection Of Information
    Public Schools
    PWC
    Ragiema Thokan Mahomed
    Ragiema Thokan-Mahomed
    Rashied Small
    Repositioning
    Retirement Funding Reform
    SAIPA
    SAIPA Budget Breakfast
    SARS
    School
    School Learners
    Service Delivery
    Shahid Daniels
    Shahied Daniels
    Shirley Olsen
    Sibusiso Thungo
    Skills
    Skills Development
    Skills Retention Plan
    Skills Shortage
    SMEs
    South Africa
    South African Institute Of Professional Accountants
    South African Institute Of Professional Accountants
    South African Institute Of Tax Professionals
    South African Schools Act
    Struggling Economy
    Students
    Sugar Tax
    Sugary Drinks
    Sustainibility
    Tax
    Tax & Accounting Thesis Competition
    Tax Administration Act
    Tax Administration Laws Amendment Bill
    Taxation
    Tax Clearance Certificates
    Tax Compliance
    Tax Filing Season
    Tax Indaba 2016
    Tax Law
    Tax Ombud
    Tax Payers
    Tax Practitioner
    Tax Season
    Tax Thesis
    Tax Thesis Competition
    Technology
    Tertiary Education
    The Financial Intelligence Centre Amendment (FIC
    Thesis/dissertations
    The South African Institute Of Professional Accountants
    The South African Revenue Service
    The Tax Administration Act
    Thomas Hoeppli
    Tom Mojane
    Transformation
    Treasury
    Trust
    Trusts
    UCT
    Unemployment
    University Of Cape Town
    Value Added Tax
    VAT
    Wealth Taxes
    Winslyn
    Women
    Women Empowerment
    Women's Month
    Workplace
    World Bank
    Xenophobia
    Youth
    Zobuzwe Ngobese

    RSS Feed

CONTACT US

office [at] atthatpoint [dot] co [dot] za
© COPYRIGHT 2021
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

  • home
  • services
  • about us
  • our work
  • our thoughts
  • SAIPA Newsroom