16 Dec 2025

Any vision, no matter how small, requires a dedicated partner to become a reality.
This sentiment was shared by Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) Head of Market Development, Ms Thapelo Moribame, while welcoming guests at the 2025 BSE–Stanbic Bank Botswana Senior Secondary Schools Finance and Investment Competition National Awards Ceremony, held recently at the BSE Training Room in Gaborone.
Ms Moribane said the competition, launched in 2013 as a physical initiative, had evolved into a digitally driven programme. She explained that this year’s edition was delivered through a Stock Market Simulator a user-friendly, risk-free virtual trading platform designed to enhance financial literacy and broaden access to stock market education.
“For the 2025 edition, all participating schools  began competing at regional level. Each school was allocated virtual funds to build and manage investment portfolios. We then identified the top three schools in each region and awarded them share vouchers,” she said. Regional winners advanced to the national finals, where they competed for the final prize. Ms Moribane noted a substantial increase in participation, with schools rising from 15 in 2024 to 28 in 2025.
She described the growth as evidence of the competition’s relevance among students and a reaffirmation of BSE and Stanbic Bank Botswana’s commitment to widening access to capital markets.
Ms Moribane revealed that a total of P115, 000 in share vouchers had been awarded to 55 participants, alongside P30, 000 in cash prizes to the top three schools.
She applauded Stanbic Bank Botswana for its sponsorship and partnership, describing the collaboration as strategic and anchored in a shared belief that empowering young people was critical to Botswana’s economic growth.
The Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Child Welfare and Basic Education, Mr Steve Bothasitse, congratulated the winning schools, Al Nur School, Swaneng Hill School and Pioneer Academy for their outstanding performance.
“You have demonstrated exceptional resilience throughout this competition. The stock market is often viewed as complex, yet you embraced the challenge with determination and confidence,” he said.
Mr Bothasitse told learners that their participation sent a clear message that Botswana’s youth were ready to play an active role in shaping the country’s economy. He also praised the BSE–Stanbic Bank partnership, noting that the initiative reflected a deep commitment to youth empowerment, financial inclusion and national development.
He acknowledged that one of the ministry’s major challenges was that financial literacy was not yet strongly embedded in the mainstream curriculum, leaving many students unprepared for real-life financial decisions. Competitions such as this, he said, helped bridge the gap between education and industry, and between theory and practice.
“Financial literacy is no longer optional; it is an essential life skill,” Mr Bothasitse said, adding that government alone could not deliver every skill learners needed. Partnerships with industry, he noted, were vital in cultivating a culture of shared responsibility and investment in education.
He emphasised that child development was a national project requiring collective effort, and reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to nurturing and expanding collaborations for the benefit of every child. ENDS