mohan isaac, university of the free state, qwa qwa campus
TRANSCRIPT
Experiential Learning weds Community Service Learning: A marriage made in
Heaven
I A MohanUniversity Of The Free State
South Africa
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• 2003 To 2004 Research Project by the Dept: of Accounting, “Financial Record Keeping as a Tool for Small Business Success- A case of Qwa Qwa”.
• 200 small/micro businesses interviewed• Findings:• 96% did not have any proper records other than that of
their debtors and creditors• 92% had no idea how much profit they were making or
how much loss they were incurring
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• 73% of these entrepreneurs were forced into this field due to unemployment / retrenchment
• 89% of the women entrepreneurs started their small business due to death of the breadwinner in the family (Aids?)
• 91% did not know how to decide their mark-up and to price their merchandise competitively
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• Undoubtedly, there was a need for the University to do something to help these self-employed people
• Thus evolved the module “Functional Bookkeeping and Accounts for Small Scale Entrepreneurs”.
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• In 2005, the course was advertised to the public and 39 entrepreneurs successfully completed the training
• Free State Development was approached to be a service sector partner which was readily accepted
• MOU was signed between the University and FDC in 2006
• FDC took over the advertising and recruitment of entrepreneurs to be trained. In 2006, 44 entrepreneurs were trained.
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• In 2007, 46 entrepreneurs were trained• In 2008, SEDA (Small Enterprises Development Agency)
showed a keen interest in this project and expressed their willingness for support
• They also identified some needy entrepreneurs and together with FDC clients, 39 entrepreneurs were trained.
• 2009 training took place during last holidays with 33 trainees
• In 2010, 45 entrepreneurs were trained
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• Every year a Certificate of Attendance is awarded to those who successfully complete the course
• The event is sponsored by FDC (and now SEDA as well) and the function is attended by dignitaries and leaders from the community
• Students who participate in the training are also given presents like T shirts, bags etc by FDC and SEDA
• IMPACT ASSESSMENT• This was another crucial step in our project. A central
feature of our programme was its emphasis on participation and organisational learning.
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• So our approach was distinct from the usual after effect findings on short courses in that we wanted to emphasise ‘improving the service learning programme rather than proving its impact.
• There was general consensus that the training helped them to manage their finance more effectively.
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• The course consists of Five Modules and each module is divided into two parts: Theory and Practical
• First, theory is presented by selected (trained) students and the trainees are free to ask questions
• After a short break the practical session starts where relevant exercises will be given
• Each trainee will be assigned a student who will sit them and clarify their doubts or questions
• Assignments will also be given to be submitted in the next session
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• Summary of Modules:• Module 1- Overview of Accounting, Types of businesses
in South Africa and their legal requirements, Calculation of “How wealthy are you?”
• Module 2- Basic Accounting Equation, Concepts of Assets, Liabilities, Owner’s Equity, Withdrawals by the owner, Income and Expenses, Cash and Credit Transactions
• Module 3- Journals, CRJ, CPJ, Purchases Journal, Sales Journal, General Journal and Petty Cash Journal
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• Module 4- Determining Profit, Sales and Cost of Sales, Stock-taking and Valuation of Stock, Mark-up and Gross Profit, Income other than Sales and Net Profit
• Module 5- Fixed Assets and Depreciation, Tangible and Intangible Assets, Different methods of calculating depreciation, Depreciation as a non-cash expense, Other non-cash expenses like Bad debts
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• We do not make any claims that this CSL Project will uplift and enlighten the small business sector in Qwa Qwa as a whole because there are hundreds of thousands of them
• We do believe that, “Little drops of water make the mighty ocean and little grains of sand make the pleasant land.”
• So this little drop of water is our small contribution towards making a mighty ocean in South Africa.
• We have been doing it for the past five years and we will continue doing it.
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• The time has come for higher education to go to the poor, and to demonstrate that it is not only individuals, but also communities- and indeed nations- that will prosper as a result.
“THANK YOU”
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