1. The Western Cape Provincial Treasury, in collaboration with Nedbank and the Western Cape Education Department (WCED), invites schools to enter for the 2014 Western Cape Bursary Competition, an essay-writing competition.

2. The Bursary Competition offers Grade 11 learners in the province, taking a combination of Economics, Mathematics and Accounting as subjects, the opportunity of obtaining bursaries and other incentives to further their studies in these fields at a university.

3. A maximum of twelve bursaries, as well as a cash prize as financial assistance during their Grade 12 year, will be awarded to learners who intend obtaining a degree in Economics (e.g. B Comm. [Economics]), Accounting (e.g. B Acc., B Compt.), Commerce (e.g. B Bus. Science) or Mathematics at a Western Cape university.

4. The bursaries are for Grade 11 learners who excel (minimum level of 60%) in at least two of the subjects Economics, Mathematics and Accounting and who qualify for entrance to a university in 2016. Entrants must be South African citizens, residing in the Western Cape, who have a good command of spoken and written English.

5. Prizes for teachers of the winning learners:

  • A laptop computer to the teacher of each of the learners who are placed 1st, 2nd and 3rd.
  • A cash prize of R5 000 to the teacher of each of the other learners who are awarded bursaries.

School principals will be asked to provide the names of the teachers concerned.
6. The bursary competition aims to:

  • promote enthusiasm for Economics, Mathematics, Accounting and career possibilities;
  • develop knowledge and skills in Economics, Mathematics and Accounting;
  • develop problem-solving and analytical abilities;
  • expose learners to research methodology and essay-writing skills;
  • provide learners with access and links to the world of work;
  • raise awareness of socio-economic issues in SA;
  • encourage and reward excellence; and
  • develop future leaders in the fields of Economics, Mathematics and Accounting.
7. The time frame for this bursary competition is from March 2014 to March 2015.

8. Refer to the attached Addendum B for the essay topic (supplied only in English).

9. Refer to the attachments for the following:

  • The entry form;
  • The assessment grid to be completed by teachers to assess the essays; and
  • Guidelines for good essay writing.
10. Schools should choose promising learners to participate in the competition. They will be required to write an essay of approximately 2 200 words. The rest of the Grade 11 Economics class may write an essay on the same topic to a maximum of 600 words.

11. A team of teachers at the school will use the assessment grid provided to choose the top three performers who fulfil the minimum requirement of 70% (essay and oral presentations combined) to go through to the next round of the competition. The essays and mark sheets of the top three performers and of all other learners who achieved above 70% must be submitted to the education district office for assessment at level 2 (district level) by no later than 27 October 2014.

12. An assessment panel in each education district will assess the qualifying essays from schools and choose the finalists. The 10 best essays per district will be chosen by this panel and sent through to the final level (provincial level) by 21 November 2014.

13. The twenty best essays will be chosen by the final selection panel, consisting of representatives of Nedbank, the Provincial Treasury and the WCED.

14. A maximum of fifteen finalists will be invited to attend the final selection in Cape Town in March 2015 – on a Friday afternoon and Saturday following the Provincial Budget Speech. They will be required to make an oral presentation on their research findings and to respond to questions put to them by the selection panel. The Economics teachers of the finalists will be invited to accompany them. The education district panel members will be invited to attend the awards ceremony on the Saturday evening.

15. Please consult Addendum A for detailed information about entry requirements, entry documents, time frames and adjudication criteria.

16. Enquiries about the essay-writing and marking must be directed to the Economics curriculum advisers in the education districts.

17. Principals are requested to bring the contents of this minute to the attention of all Grade 11 Economics, Mathematics, Accounting and Life Orientation teachers.


SIGNED: T SINGH
ACTING DEPUTY DIRECTOR-GENERAL: CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT MANAGEMENT
DATE: 2014:03:13

The Western Cape Essay Competition - Entry form  (size: 107 KB)
Addendum A  (size: 25 KB)
Addendum B  (size: 92 KB)