SAIPA National Accounting Olympiad 2019

South African Institute of Professional Accountants
28 May 2019

SAIPA National Accounting Olympiad 2019 entries closing soon. Register now!

Each year, the South African Institute of Professional Accountants (SAIPA) holds its National Accounting Olympiad. Registration for entry to this year’s competition will close on 14th June 2019. The Institute, therefore, urges all schools to immediately register pupils who are studying accounting and wish to participate.

Zobuzwe Ngobese, Marketing and Communications Executive at SAIPA, says the event is a great way for accounting students to be recognised for their proficiency in the subject. “We’re expecting our best turnout yet, so this is also an excellent opportunity for the schools to show off their spirit of achievement at a national level.”

How it works
NAO 2019 entrants from grades 11 and 12 will write an accountancy test at their respective schools. Afterwards, representatives from SAIPA will mark the papers and select those with the highest scores. The top three students nationally in each grade will then be declared as the overall winners.

These champions will be awarded at a gala event whose date and venue will be announced nearer the time. They and their teachers will also receive prizes and be featured in the media.

Last year, thirteen winners tied for the top three spots provincially and nationally across the grade 11 and grade 12 categories. KwaZulu-Natal placed six of the national winners, while King Edward VII School and Rondebosch Boys High were the best performing schools. “We’re excited to see if they’ll repeat their performance this year or if others will rise to take those honours,” says Ngobese.

Encouraging accountancy
The NAO competition is a key part of SAIPA’s strategy to promote accounting as a career of choice among schoolgoers.

South Africa needs new accountants to continually enter the job market. A significant lack of interest now will mean a skills shortage of seven to eight years in the future. “Accounting is an exciting and rewarding career, so we want teens everywhere to seriously consider it as they prepare for tertiary studies,” says Ngobese.

The NAO 2019 is also a good way for scholars to get a taste of the profession. They’ll have the opportunity to interact with SAIPA staff, sponsors and potential future employers.

How to enter
Pupils wishing to compete must be registered by their schools on the NAO page. The entry fee is R50 per student but free for no-fee schools. There is also no limit to the number of pupils each school may register. However, entrants must currently be taking Accounting as a school subject with the intention of studying a B.Com degree.

The exam will take place on 29th July 2019 and winners will be announced after all papers are scored. The NAO website will be updated as the competition progresses and participants should visit it regularly for the latest news and information.

“Don’t wait until the last minute and risk missing the opportunity to stand out from all the other schools and pupils across the country,” says Ngobese. “Register now and it could be you on stage, being awarded before the entire nation.”