HARARE: OLD Mutual Zimbabwe’s decision to sponsor the 4th edition of the Capital Markets High School Quiz Competition underscores its critical importance in cultivating future generations of informed investors and financially literate citizens, the company has said in a statement to this publication.

This commitment directly aligns with the company’s long-term vision of driving financial wellness, inclusion and societal transformation within Zimbabwe.

The quiz competition is organised and hosted by Zimpapers in partnership with the Financial Markets Indaba.

Old Mutual views initiatives like the Capital Markets National High School Quiz as vital tools in addressing a significant national gap in financial education, a concern also highlighted by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe’s National Financial Inclusion Strategy.

Through these programmes, which also include the “On The Money Financial Education Programme” and the “$mart Money Kids Holiday Bootcamp,” Old Mutual is laying the groundwork for a more economically empowered and resilient society.

These efforts have demonstrated their value annually, reaching over 1,5 million individuals digitally and training tens of thousands face-to-face, engaging a diverse demographic including youth, women, marginalised groups and employees across the country.

By instilling sound financial habits from an early age, particularly through school-focused efforts like the quiz, Old Mutual aims to foster a cultural shift where financial conversations become normalised within families and communities.

This proactive education is designed to reduce financial risk, strengthen entrepreneurial endeavours and even mitigate issues such as employee absenteeism and family conflict driven by financial stress.

The company’s inclusive approach, involving partnerships with schools, universities, NGOs, Government ministries and industry regulators, demonstrates that cultivating financial literacy is a strategic imperative for Old Mutual, supporting its commitment to sustainable development, economic empowerment and national progress.

Fostering financially literate future generations is considered essential to Old Mutual’s purpose, impact and legacy.

Meanwhile, preparations for this year’s Capital Markets High School Quiz Competition are at an advanced stage, with 40 schools from across the country set to compete when the event kicks off today.

This marks an increase from the 20 schools that participated last year. The annual quiz is organised by Zimpapers in partnership with the Financial Markets Indaba (FMI), with technical support from the Zimbabwe Mercantile Exchange, Securities Exchange Commission of Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange, Chengetedzai Depository Company and the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education.

Herbert Zharare, Zimpapers business hub and events editor, confirmed the smooth progress of preparations, stating, “The participating schools that are the major stakeholders in this competition, are all ready to go, it’s all systems go.”

He added that the initiative aims to “help build a financially literate Zimbabwe by making sure that our young scholars understand financial matters — we want to catch them young.”

Zharare emphasised that a financially illiterate society is vulnerable and that the quiz aims to empower children to be “torchbearers” and “future architects”.

Old Mutual Zimbabwe is listed as a sponsor for this year’s event, alongside POSB, Delta, Innscor, ZimSwitch, Tanganda and Tika Shoes.

The 2025 quiz competition programme is scheduled as follows: Group A and B on June 12; Group C and D on June 13; Group E and F on June 19; Group G and H on June 20; with the national finals on June 27.

Patrick Muzondo, managing director of FMI, reaffirmed that a key objective of the quiz is to promote financial literacy among students at an early age, thereby laying the foundation for informed financial decision-making that contributes to long-term economic development.

He also highlighted the teacher training sessions preceding the competition, which help establish a sustainable knowledge base in schools, extending the quiz’s impact. HERALD