30 April 2023
Maritzburg College is taking a practical approach to Business Studies this term, with a focus on corporate social responsibility set to benefit the under-privileged.
Subject Head for Business Studies, Omar Kajee, detailed the school’s approach to Pinnacle Schools recently: “At Maritzburg College, we have Business Studies as a subject, from grade 10 to grade 12. As much as the curriculum enforces the foundations of running a business, our vision as a department is to bring real life into the classroom – issues such as inflation, socio-economic issues, expansion of business, franchising, Covid-19, the July unrest and Eskom.”
Value versus values
Kajee said he attended an International Boys’ School Conference at Grey High School in Gqeberha in March, where the guest presenter was Mike Abel [Executive Chairman and Founding Partner of the M&C Saatchi Group of Companies], who addressed value versus values.
“At the end of his presentation, he spoke about a Street Store. The concept of a Street Store is that it is the first ever rent-free, premises-free, pop-up store for poor individuals,” Kajee explained.
“You get people to donate goods, and then it is a shopping experience for the disadvantaged, who can select items that they need and want.”
Kajee said at Maritzburg College they’ll introduce a little more structure into the concept, inviting specific orphanages to participate.
“The donations have been coming in thick and fast,” he reckoned.
“Our boys in grade 12 will be manning the stores. Staff and our grade 10s and 11s have also assisted with donations.
Matric Business Studies involvement
“We’re looking at setting up on The Terraces, and we’re looking at 10 gazebos. Our 80 matric Business Studies boys have been divided up into 10 groups, eight per group.”
The idea will be for the invited group to pick up a single item from each gazebo. For example, as Kajee explained: “One T-shirt, a pair of pants, a pair of shoes… Our guest list will be determined by the donations we receive.”
Working with staff member, Memory Ngcobo, who is involved with the Shack Dwellers’ Association, College will arrange for 80 visitors to be bussed to the event, which is scheduled to take place on The Terraces on Wednesday, 10 May, for two hours during the school day.
Corporate social responsibility
Besides the focus on Business Studies, the event is also part of College’s many interact initiatives. From the Business studies’ perspective, it’s about corporate social responsibility, and socio-economic issues, such as poverty, unemployment and crime, Kajee said.
The initiative has involved the full complement of five Business Studies’ teachers – Mrs Khan, Mrs Elder, Mr Gonlag, Mr Wilcock and Mr Kajee – who worked together to draw up a proposal for the Street Store.
“On the day, we will look at each store, and that will assist the boys. It will form about 20 percent of their term mark. It’s [also] something that they can benefit from,” said Kajee.
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