Primary schools across the country are being urged to sign up for the Junior Entrepreneur Programme.
The JEP is looking to recruit primary schoolchildren in 5th and 6th class to learn about enterprise and how to launch classroom businesses. past examples of successful classroom businesses include clocks, games, books and solutions for everyday problems.
In 2018, 12,000 children in 480 classes each invested a few euros in their businesses and achieved sales of €220,000 and net profit of €140,000. The funds belong to the children and the use of those funds is set by the children themselves. It’s usually a combination of returning investment and profit to the children, charitable contributions and class treats, say the organisers.
Chairman Jerry Kennelly said: "JEP gives children an extra chance to learn about the real world before they've got to make decisions about what to study in second level. It gives children the opportunity to do something for themselves, to invest their money and get back profit they’ve made themselves. Along the way they learn the importance of entrepreneurs in their community and find out what they're good at.”
The programme runs for 12 to16 weeks, with every aspect blending into the primary school curriculum, according to Kennelly, whose Tweak.com underwrites it.
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“Local entrepreneurs visit JEP classrooms and tell the story of their business. Children reflect on this experience and document it as part of their project. Every child produces a business idea and entrepreneurs are invited to participate in a ‘Dragons’ session where they are helped to select one final idea for the class to pursue.”
Participants will get a chance to showcase their classroom business at the All-Ireland Showcase Day at RDS Simmonscourt in Dublin on 20 May 2019. Class sign-up is now open until September 28. RTE Nationwide is to broadcast a half-hour special on the JEP on Wednesday September 5.
Photo: Pupils at Gaelscoil an Inbhir Mhoir, An Tinbhear Mhoir, Co. Wicklow pictured with Marching the Map Board Game which was created as part of their Junior Entrepreneur Programme project. ( Pic: Jerry Kennelly)
