The Department of Basic Education’s Entrepreneurship, Employability and Education Programme (DBE-E3 Programme) brought entrepreneurship to life for learners in Secunda, Mpumalanga province on 14 October 2026, through an Entrepreneurship Skills Exhibition that brought together 40 learners from 14 schools. The exhibition provided learners with an opportunity to present projects that demonstrated their creativity, problem-solving abilities and understanding of entrepreneurship.
The DBE-E3 Programme focuses on Entrepreneurship, Employability and Education, helping learners connect classroom learning with practical skills and opportunities they can explore beyond school.
Delivering the welcoming address, Ms Eunice Letsobe, DBE-E3 Programme, highlighted the importance of introducing entrepreneurship to learners from an early age. Ms Letsobe explained that by encouraging learners to explore their ideas and recognise the value of what they create, helps them to see how a simple project can become the starting point for a business opportunity.
This approach gives learners the chance to think creatively, solve problems and build confidence in their abilities. It also shows that entrepreneurship does not have to begin with a fully developed business. Sometimes, it starts with an idea and the willingness to see where it can lead.
Ms Sylvia Ngwenya, the Economic and Management Sciences Subject Advisor for the Gert Sibande District and Standerton Sub-District, spoke about the value of project-based learning in helping learners apply classroom knowledge to everyday situations. She explained that the initiative began in 2018, with 10 schools participating.
Through Life Skills in Grades R to 6 and Economic and Management Sciences in Grade 7, learners are encouraged to develop practical skills and engage with real-world challenges. Laerskool Oranjegloed Primary in Secunda, which has participated in DBE-Ecubed since 2019, hosted the exhibition and provided a platform for learners to share their work.
Grade 3 learners presented space-themed models made from waste materials, showing how discarded items can be reused creatively. Grade 6 learners explored caring for animals and acts of kindness, highlighting compassion, responsibility and positive actions towards others. One group presented a fish tank priced at R150. Grade 7 learners showcased upcycled fashion designs, including a dress made from plastic bags and footwear crafted from cardboard.
The projects showed how learners can combine imagination with practical thinking, from developing a product to considering its value and how to present it to others.
The projects were assessed by adjudicators from the Department of Small Business Development, Teaching a Man to Fish and the DBE-Ecubed project coordination team. Learners share their ideas and demonstrate what they have learned through the initiative.
By introducing entrepreneurship through practical activities, DBE-Ecubed gives learners opportunities to build confidence, explore their creativity and develop skills they can carry into the future. The exhibition was a reminder that learning can extend beyond the classroom, and that young people can begin discovering the potential of their ideas whilst they are still at school.