Birch Acres learner wins top spot in Gauteng EMS Olympiad
Grade Seven head girl Gavaza Siweya secured first place in the provincial EMS Olympiad, showcasing excellence in economics, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy.
Birch Acres Primary Grade Seven learner and head girl, Gavaza Siweya, has made her mark in the Economic Management Sciences (EMS) Olympiad, securing first place in the fee-paying category at Sion Academy.
This achievement is a major academic milestone for Siweya as she prepares to transition to high school.
The EMS Olympiad aims to improve learner performance in the subject, covering three disciplines: economics, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy.
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Learners from various schools in Gauteng participate, progressing through school, cluster, district, and provincial levels.
Out of 1 576 Grade Seven learners, Siweya’s outstanding performance earned her the top provincial position.
Siweya reflected on her success: “This trophy represents hard work, dedication, and the support of everyone who helped me reach this moment.
“Competing pushed me out of my comfort zone, and even though it was challenging, I believed in myself and focused on doing my best. Winning was a wonderful surprise.”
She also shared her future ambitions.
“I want to become a lawyer to stand up for people’s rights and help build a fairer society.”
EMS subject specialist Dr Jacobine Letshwene praised the competition as a strategy to enhance EMS performance and noted that Siweya’s win was well-deserved.
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Birch Acres EMS educator Ouma Lepadima described Siweya as one of the school’s top achievers. “She is respectful, versatile, and consistently excels. Her journey from the early rounds to district and provincial victory proves her hard work and determination.”
Siweya has also excelled beyond EMS, winning first prize in the China-South Africa Learner Correspondent Competition for Gauteng and North West in June 2025.
“Gavaza has put our school and district on the map. She is hardworking, humble, and respectful, with a bright future ahead. We are proud of her accomplishments and the way she upholds Birch Acres Primary’s values,” said the principal, Nompumelelo Mkhonza.
