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Education

We are passionate about equitable access to education, including life-long growth through on-going training and skills development. We support students by providing versatile financing solutions, as well as investing in employee growth. In collaboration with governments and NGOs, we also provide CSI funding for educational programmes.  

Our focus areas
Finance for education

Providing tailored financial solutions for educational institutions

Standard Bank aims to equip young people to become entrepreneurs, capable of developing their own opportunities, rather than relying solely on trying to find a job in a highly constrained market. Our investment in the USAf Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) programme has enabled the establishment of Economic Activation Offices (EAO) at 10 South African public universities, with more to follow from 2023.

5_Education-14formats
Funding for students

Providing innovative funding solutions for students

We work with partners in government and the corporate sector to address the challenge of affordable and accessible student finance through innovative models such as the Feenix™ crowdfunding platform and partnerships with the Discovery Foundation and Stellenbosch University in South Africa.

innovating funding solutions slider_education
R162 million raised on the Feenix platform since 2017 R41.1 million
in student loans provided in 2022
1,131 students benefitting in 2022 
with 26 universities represented

 

Employee skills development

Innovative and accessible learning opportunities to nature our talent

As part of our efforts to develop, attract and retain critical skills and to ensure that all our employees have access to tools and resources to grow and develop, we provide a variety of educational and leadership programmes. 

We continue to invest in our people and are delighted by the enthusiasm and commitment with which they have embraced our digital skills development programme. We invested over R868 million on employee development across the group, an average learning spend of over R18 000 per employee. Over 9 000 employees took part in leadership programmes.

2_Education-14formats
R59.8 million
provided for employee bursaries 
R868 million 
invested in employee development 
142 
graduates employed 

 

Corporate social investment

Strategic partnerships supporting access to quality education

In South Africa, our corporate social investment (CSI) focus is on supporting improved access to quality education through the development of multi-year strategic partnerships with community organisations.

SBSA Education section health
CSI funds spent on education spent
was 62% of total CSI SA spending
R14 million 
towards education projects across Africa 
Reached 253 teachers and 39,504 learners via Edufundi support programme for South African teachers to promote teaching excellence

 

  • Finance for education
  • Funding for students
  • Employee skills development
  • Corporate social investment

Providing tailored financial solutions for educational institutions

Standard Bank aims to equip young people to become entrepreneurs, capable of developing their own opportunities, rather than relying solely on trying to find a job in a highly constrained market. Our investment in the USAf Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) programme has enabled the establishment of Economic Activation Offices (EAO) at 10 South African public universities, with more to follow from 2023.

5_Education-14formats

Providing innovative funding solutions for students

We work with partners in government and the corporate sector to address the challenge of affordable and accessible student finance through innovative models such as the Feenix™ crowdfunding platform and partnerships with the Discovery Foundation and Stellenbosch University in South Africa.

innovating funding solutions slider_education
R162 million raised on the Feenix platform since 2017 R41.1 million
in student loans provided in 2022
1,131 students benefitting in 2022 
with 26 universities represented

 

Innovative and accessible learning opportunities to nature our talent

As part of our efforts to develop, attract and retain critical skills and to ensure that all our employees have access to tools and resources to grow and develop, we provide a variety of educational and leadership programmes. 

We continue to invest in our people and are delighted by the enthusiasm and commitment with which they have embraced our digital skills development programme. We invested over R868 million on employee development across the group, an average learning spend of over R18 000 per employee. Over 9 000 employees took part in leadership programmes.

2_Education-14formats
R59.8 million
provided for employee bursaries 
R868 million 
invested in employee development 
142 
graduates employed 

 

Strategic partnerships supporting access to quality education

In South Africa, our corporate social investment (CSI) focus is on supporting improved access to quality education through the development of multi-year strategic partnerships with community organisations.

SBSA Education section health
CSI funds spent on education spent
was 62% of total CSI SA spending
R14 million 
towards education projects across Africa 
Reached 253 teachers and 39,504 learners via Edufundi support programme for South African teachers to promote teaching excellence

 

Corporate social investment

We support programmes to strengthen the capacity of teachers and caregivers, with a focus on early childhood development (ECD) and foundation phase learning.

 
Kirston-Greenop
Kirston Greenop
Head of CSI, Standard Bank South Africa

Standard Bank’s CSI must have impact. But we must also publicly recognise and share that impact so more people can benefit from programmes that work. A good example is the Feenix Platform, which over the last five years has managed to reach over 850 students who may have been excluded from further education. Education is a critical area in any economy, and at Standard Bank we commit to using digital solutions like the Feenix platform to bring donors and students together in an inclusive, accessible and safe way to make education happen. We will continue to champion Feenix and similar education strategies to reach as many students in South Africa as possible.

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