Bahrain Bourse in Collaboration with INJAZ Bahrain Concludes Smart Investor Program 2022-2023
Bahrain Bourse, in collaboration with INJAZ Bahrain, successfully concluded the 2022-2023 Smart Investor Program with a ceremony held on Thursday, 18th May 2023 at the Gulf Hotel. The event was attended by Her Highness Shaikha Hessa Bint Khalifa Al Khalifa, Chairperson of INJAZ Bahrain and Chief Executive Officer of Bahrain Bourse, Sh. Khalifa bin Ebrahim Al-Khalifa, alongside Ministry of Education officials, participating judges, school coordinators, and students.
The Smart Investor initiative fosters a competitive spirit and engages partners to boost financial literacy among Bahrain’s youth. This national initiative represents Bahrain Bourse’s strategic efforts to promote investment awareness and educate participants of various age groups with the knowledge and expertise needed to make informed financial decisions. The program, which was first launched during the academic year 2018-2019, employs interactive edutainment activities to break down basic concepts linked to money management and savings, encouraging smart financial planning. The program’s success in increasing financial literacy underlines Bahrain Bourse and INJAZ Bahrain’s commitment to empowering a financially-savvy generation.
For the second consecutive year, the National Smart Investor Competition was held with the aim of developing students’ skills to make sound financial decisions, and enhancing the spirit of creativity and entrepreneurship amongst students. A total of 46 schools teams participated in the competition, including 33 government schools and 13 private schools, with a total of 182 students.
The competition consisted of various phases. During the first phase, participants created short videos on a particular case study presented. The second phase of the competition presented an interactive workshop for students that focused on innovating a product or service and creating a business concept. Finally, participants delivered presentations on how to further develop their business concepts.
During the awards ceremony, the top three winning teams from the government schools and private schools were announced. For the government schools category, the first place award was presented to Sanad Primary Boys School, second place award was presented to Saba Primary Girls School, and third place award was presented to Al-Orouba Primary Girls School. For the private schools category, the first place award was presented to Modern Knowledge Schools, second place award was presented to Al Hekma International School, and third place award was presented to Al Noor International School.
Additionally, the “Best Video” award from the first stage of the competition went to the students from Al Hidd Primary Boys School for the government schools category, and Al Raja School for the private schools category for their outstanding submission.
Commenting on this occasion, Sh. Khalifa bin Ebrahim Al-Khalifa, CEO of Bahrain Bourse, stated, “We strongly believe in the importance and role of exchanges in driving financial literacy. As a licensed exchange, we strongly believe in the underlying commitment to sustainable social and economic development through embedding financial literacy and driving financial awareness programs targeting different levels, of which the Smart Investor program is a key pillar. We are honored to have provided a key platform to educate Bahrain’s youth on the significance of financial awareness as we conclude another successful edition of the program which has now been running since 2018 for 5 consecutive academic years. Through this educational initiative, we are hoping to inspire the next generation of investors by equipping them with the tools and knowledge they require to navigate the world of finance.”
Through strategic partnerships, community engagements, we aim to support a wide range of financial literacy initiatives – including Capital Market Apprenticeship Program, The Investment Academy in collaboration with the BIBF, TradeQuest Program, and finally Smart Investor Program, in addition to regular educational institutions visits and workshops, to enhance financial awareness,” Shaikh Khalifa added.
Her Highness Shaikha Hessa Bint Khalifa Al Khalifa, Chairperson of INJAZ Bahrain, also expressed her gratitude at the success of the program, stating, “The Smart Investor program has once again proven to be a tremendous achievement, and we at INJAZ Bahrain are delighted to have collaborated with Bahrain Bourse to offer this valuable opportunity to Bahrain’s youth. Through this program, we aim to inspire young minds and instill in them the importance of financial literacy, which is a key life skill for future success. We congratulate all of the participating students for their diligence and commitment, and we look forward to continuing our partnership with Bahrain Bourse to provide more innovative opportunities that empower and equip Bahrain’s youth with financial knowledge for the future. We would also like to extend our sincere thanks and appreciation to all the volunteers and judges from Alba, Al Salam Bank, Beyon, Bahrain Bourse, Banagas, National Bank of Bahrain, and Bapco for their efforts and support to the activities and objectives of INJAZ Bahrain.”
Bahrain Bourse and INJAZ Bahrain extended their gratitude, particularly to the Ministry of Education, for their support in ensuring the successful implementation of the Smart Investor program. They also thanked the following institutions who sponsored the “Smart Investor” program for the academic year 2022-2023. Gold Sponsor: Ahli United Bank, Silver Sponsor: Bank ABC (Arab Banking Corporation B.S.C.), and Bronze Sponsor: National Bank of Kuwait, along with all the participating students, volunteers and judges from various entities.