One hundred and forty-five Grade 12

accountancy learners from

18 schools in and around Durban

wfll enter the matnc examination

with confidence after attending this years

Deloitte Protect Siyakhula (Siyakhula means

~we are growing) programme, in its ninth year,

learners from previous years are applying

for employment at Deloitte to complete their

training contacts and qualify as a Chartered

Accountant.

Innocents Mngadi of Chatsworth Secondary

School is this year's top learner scoring 73%

for Accounting m the examinations set by the

organisers of the Deloitte Protect Siyakhula

programme. Innocentia has been accepted

at the Universily ol KwaZulu Natal to study

towards her BComm. Accounting in 2010.

Innocentia is one of this year's programme

attendees who will be applying to Deloitte to*

a bursary to cover her study costs and a

training contract

Nensha Haricharan. Audit Manager at Deloitte

has been the protect coordinator for five years

and says that it is gratifying to see learners

join the programme and grow in knowledge

and confidence. She says, "once they are

part ol the programme we asset them in

accountancy, and also with the process ol

applying lor a bursary to study al Universily

and encourage ihem to apply lor training

coniracts

"Later these same learners will become

trainees and hopefully will grow to become

partners and leaders within a professional

services firm".

This project is made possible through the

commitment of the facilitators who are

comprised of trainee accountants and a wide

range ol professionals at Deloitte who provide

their services on a voluntary basis.

"The objectives of Siyakhula are to instil and

sustain a culture of learning, assist teachers

on topics that are proving difficult or that

are new to the syllabus. We also promote

an awareness ol the profession and mentor

relationships with the participating students",

continues Haricharan.

Schools thai are part of the programme are

situated m areas around Durban. Chatsworth.

Inanda. Newiands East. Phoenix. Umbilo.

Umlazi and Kwa Mashu

"The standard ol the candidates applying for

bursaries has advanced over the past three

The process is rigorous: candidates have

three interviews, a group interview, a written

interview and finally a one on one interview.

This year we have incorporated a recruitment

programme tor High School learners and are

assisting with bursary and training contract

applications and are hoping that Deloitte will

be able to assist several of our Siyakhula

graduates'

'Throughout the protect, we have tried to

maintain a balance of work and play with

activities being performed penodicalty. Each

learner received a Deloitte Protect Siyakhula

T-shirt for easy identification and lunch lime

snacks are provided to the learners as well

as stationery, notes, practise questions and

answers", continued Haricharan

Prior to the year end award ceremony

on Saturday. 19 September, all schools

were invited to submit a poem, article or

an illustration to demonstrate what the

programme meant.

"The value that learners are gelling trom the

Siyakhula programme was reflected m each

school's conijbanks beinc; said

for the assistance, inspiration, motivation and

encouragement in addition to Hie knowledge

imparted".

"In 20l0we will introduce Grade t l learners

to the programme and also Mathematics and

English.

"We will also expand to include schools in

Verulam. LamontviUe and Claremonl. Our

tuition will facilitate a smooth transition in the

forthcoming year with the syllabus changing

from Outcomes Based Education to the FET

process (Further Education and Training)".