Shaun Fuchs, founder and CEO of Centennial Schools in Sunninghill, believes South Africa’s education system is holding back the country’s entrepreneurial potential, and that urgent reform is needed.

“Our education system has remained largely unchanged for decades. We continue to teach for employment, not for innovation. If we want to create a generation of job creators, rather than job seekers, we need to embed entrepreneurial learning into the curriculum.”

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According to Fuchs, the foundation of entrepreneurship goes beyond technical knowledge. “Less measurable skills: curiosity, confidence, resilience, and the ability to solve real-world problems, must also be nurtured.”

This philosophy is the backbone of the Centennial Schools model, where entrepreneurship is integrated across the curriculum through practical, project-based learning. “Students gain hands-on experience in marketing, financial management, innovation, networking, and modern skills, such as coding, content creation, and cryptocurrencies. Partnerships with entrepreneurs allow students to engage with real-world business challenges, embedding skills that can turn ideas into impact.”

Fuchs’ argument comes at a critical time, as South Africa continues to face one of the highest youth unemployment rates in the world.

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According to Stats SA, by the second quarter of 2025, 62.2% of young people, aged 15–24, were unemployed, 12.2% of graduates could not find work, and unemployment among those with matric or less sat at 35.2% and 39.4%, respectively.

With formal job opportunities shrinking, entrepreneurship should be a viable alternative, yet many young South Africans struggle, not because they lack ideas, but because they lack essential business skills.

Fuchs believes these efforts can only succeed if young people possess the right foundation. “The next generation must be equipped, not only to access opportunities, but to create them.”

The impact of this teaching model is already becoming clear. Fifteen-year-old Onalerona Tsiane, a Centennial Schools learner, recently represented South Africa at the Sage Teen Entrepreneurship World Cup 2025 in Tbilisi, Georgia. Her business, TeeSisters, which she runs with her sister, finished in the global top six, and earned two Sustainable Development Goals Awards for No Poverty and Reduced Inequalities.

For Fuchs, Onalerona’s achievement is proof that nurturing entrepreneurial thinking from a young age can radically reshape South Africa’s future. “When students are given the tools and the space to think creatively, they can compete at a global level.”

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