The competition is aimed at celebrating learners who excelled in a demanding stock market simulation and the 2025 edition saw 28 schools participate, a significant rise from 15 from last year, signalling growing interest in financial literacy and investment education across the country. The contest requires students to form school-based teams and immerse themselves in a virtual stock market platform. They are then expected to learn how to trade, analyse market shifts, and place simulated buy-and-sell orders sometimes during breaks, after lessons, or late in the evenings. For many teams, the experience is intense, fast-moving and competitive.
During the National Level Awards Ceremony of the BSE Stanbic Bank Senior Secondary Schools Finance & Investment Competition 2025 at the BSE Offices in Gaborone, Deputy Permanent Secretary for Education Support, Steve Bothasitse, praised the students’ resilience.“The stock market is often viewed as complex and yet you embraced the challenge with determination and confidence,” he said. Each of the top schools also delivered a short presentation about their experience. Kgosi Motseolapile spoke on behalf of Al-Nur, reflecting on the steep learning curve and the discipline required to stay ahead in the simulation. Desmond Monthe, representing Swaneng Hill, described the pressure of making real-time decisions in a shifting market environment.
