The Junior Entrepreneur Programme (JEP) has given more than 130,000 primary school pupils on the island of Ireland the opportunity to experience practical, real-life business learning as part of their formative education.
Running over a 12 to 16 week period during the school year, JEP nurtures creativity, independence and problem-solving among students of all abilities, with every aspect of the Programme seamlessly blending into the primary school curriculum.
Under their teacher’s guidance, and with the inspiration of local entrepreneurs, children will discover their strengths as individuals and as part of a team. Together, they’ll choose, invest in and produce their own product or service from scratch, all the way to selling it at a school-hosted JEP Showcase Day – and enjoying the profits at the end.
Teachers are given access to the JEP online teacher website which includes; a class slide deck for each step and quick-start teacher videos for key steps, entrepreneur videos and case studies, a curated bank of suplementary resources and much, much more. They are also provided with a classroom kit which gives them everything they need to deliver the programme. There’s online, email and telephone support for teachers throughout the year.
“When I started JEP I truly did not comprehend how much of the curriculum would be covered by doing the project. In my opinion it is what the New Primary Curriculum Framework needs. This programme is an excellent example of how the integration of multiple subjects can be achieved in a creative, fun, engaging way. It is not “another thing” for a teacher to take on in the year but rather a vessel to teach the curriculum.“
“Taking part in the Junior Entrepreneur Programme was a truly rewarding experience. A real highlight was the Showcase Day. Our learners with additional needs participated fully – greeting customers, engaging in sales, and showcasing our products. Watching them interact so confidently with the wider community demonstrated just how powerful this opportunity was for them. The Junior Entrepreneur Programme fostered collaboration, independence, pride and inclusion in an authentic, real-world setting. It proved that when given the chance and the right support, every child can rise to the challenge and excel.“
“For me the biggest benefit of it is it gives the children a very different education, what we are really trying to do is bring up young people who will achieve their very best in life, and that can be from a range of different experiences and a range of different abilities.”
“Having delivered JEP this year, I honestly think it should be a staple in senior classes. In all my ten years of teaching, I have never witnessed the confidence , enthusiasm and joy the children had while completing it. A fantastic programme, I highly recommend!”
“We will never be able to quantify what this has meant to our students. The programme has been a huge lift for everyone and has challenged all stereotypes and preconceptions of what our students can achieve. Every class member contributed to the creation of the story, making it a truly special experience for us all”
“ I feel very proud to have participated in a programme that promotes the skills development that comes with JEP. It’s a highlight of my professional life to date – and that is for sure! ”
Dún Laoghaire Pupils Named
Junior Entrepreneur Programme Class of the Year 2026
The pupils of Dún Laoghaire Educate Together National School have been named Class of the Year 2026 in the All-Ireland Junior Entrepreneur Programme (JEP) Awards after launching Scribble Studios, a comic book business designed by children, for children. Their mission? To make reading irresistible.
After conducting market research around the school, the young entrepreneurs
discovered that 73% of children wanted to read more, but many were distracted by screens or simply didn’t have time to tackle longer books. Their solution was to create short, funny, action-packed comics that they describe as cartoons on paper. The result is a collection of three original titles including Gim the Giraffe, The Brilliant Bean Breakout and Scribble Finds a Friend, complete with hundreds of hand-drawn illustrations and memorable characters such as Janine the Bean.
The complete list of 2026 Award winners and their class businesses are here:
CLASS OF THE YEAR
Scribble Studios – a series of comic books designed to encourage reading.
6th Class, Dún Laoghaire ETNS, Monkstown, Dublin
COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS
Parish Pages – first edition of a parish magazine for the local parish.
4th – 6th Class, Scoil Mhuire Lourdes, Loughglynn, Co. Roscommon
GAME CHANGERS
Little Listeners – sensory reading buddies to help children feel calm and focused and confident while reading aloud.
6th Class, Lissenhall National School, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary
DIGITAL MAESTROS
Murhur Mysteries – a box full of fidgets and fun, including fidgets designed and 3-D printed by the class.
3rd – 6th Class, Murhur National School, Moyvane, Co. Kerry
CREATIVE PIONEERS
Wild Atlantic Drift – Keyrings made from driftwood collected from local beaches along the Wild Atlantic Way.
3rd – 6th Class, Creeslough National School, Co. Donegal
TOP TEAMS
Whipper Whopper – a cushioned livestock herding stick for farmers.
3rd – 6th Class, Newtowngore National School, Co. Leitrim
FINANCE WIZARDS
Yarn and Bead – hand-crocheted Octopus toys and bracelets.
5th Class, Gaelscoil Mhic Easmainn Tralee, Co. Kerry
GO GREEN
Horsepower Eco-firestarter – an eco-friendly fire starter made from horse manure.
4th, 5th & 6th Class, Sneem National School, Sneem, Co. Kerry
STAR SUBMISSION
Home Tweet Home – nesting boxes in collaboration with Sligo Men’s Shed.
5th & 6th Class, Curry National School, Curry, Co. Sligo
MARKETING GURUS
Cozy Crochet Creations – a craft fair of hand-crocheted crafts.
6th Class, Scoil Náisiúnta Droichead na Bandan, Bandon, Co. Cork
GENIUS PRODUCT
Bean There Done That – an exfoliating, eco-friendly handmade soap made with coffee grounds.
6th Class, Cork Educate Together N.S., Grattan Street, Cork
DYNAMIC DESIGNERS
Resinate – hand-made, one-of-a-kind jewellery, coasters and candleholders, made from resin.
5th & 6th Class, Scoil Bhríde, Lackagh, Co. Kildare
HEALTH HEROES
Wrapped in Wellness – a basket of wellbeing products including a homemade candle.
6th Class, Sooey National School, Sooey, Co. Sligo
Scoil Bhríde, Co. Cork
Gaelscoil Chaladh and Treoigh, Co. Limerick
Muire gan Smál Primary School, Co. Kerry
Summercove National School, Co. Cork
Loreto Primary School, Dublin 14
Lisheen National School, Co. Cork
Scoil íde, Limerick
St. Joseph’s Primary School, Co. Mayo
Bishop Harty National School, Co. Tipperary
