The Gauteng government has allocated more than R500 million to fund the tertiary education for the learners who excelled in matric. The announcement was made on Sunday during the celebration of top-achieving matriculants, which was held in Midrand in Johannesburg.

Premier Panyaza Lesufi said the bursary is meant for the Gauteng learners from no-fee paying schools, many of whom are coming from disadvantaged communities in townships, informal settlements and hostels. Lesufi said the province would be investing R560 million in bursaries through the Gauteng City Region Academy (GCRA) Bursary Scheme with over 4 000 learners benefitting from the province providing financial assistance of learners between the ages of 18 and 35. "The bursary will cover tuition fees, books, accommodation, transport allowance, a once off laptop allowance and a living allowance. It also covers undergraduate studies, as well as postgraduate studies. GCRA bursary receivers who are pursuing their postgraduate studies had an opportunity to address incoming candidates," said Lesufi.

MEC of Education in the province Matome Chiloane said that the GCRA Bursary remains one of the most comprehensive provincial bursary schemes across the country, supporting students in various fields of studies, from aviation to medicine and IT. "More than 90% of the scheme's bursars are poor, black learners while almost 60% are women. Through the GCRA Bursary Scheme, we are investing in the development of skills of the future. We are arming our youth with the skills which will ensure our country is competitive and contribute to the economic development of Gauteng. We have challenges in society that only these learners can fix for us. This will be the generation that provides new ideas, local products and solutions for our province," said Chiloane, adding that as the government, they are extremely proud of the Class of 2023, who performed exceptionally well in various subjects under extreme circumstances. "This performance is also a testament to the dedication and hard work of our educators, as well as the critical upbringing role played by parents," Chiloane said.