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Free State grade 12 learners will get to showcase their skills and in-depth understanding on budgeting for the province, as entries for the 2026 budget competition open.
The Provincial Budget Competition is jointly organised by the Free State Provincial Treasury and the Department of Education. It was first launched in 2012 as a social responsibility and was embraced by Free State Provincial Treasury.
It is intended to serve as a stimulus for economic learners, exposing them to the process by which the provincial government prepares its budget. it draws its inspiration from the Treasury’s mandate of promoting fiscal management and social economic inclusiveness for shared economic growth.
Learners are encouraged to mimic the MEC for Finance when allocating provincial resources. As a result, learners are offered the opportunity to prepare their own budget in line with the provincial budget, using an essay to express their views on resource allocation in the province. It also offers learners the opportunity to have their voices heard in the development of debates, policy making, and legislative practices that address their needs.
This competition underscores the importance of transparency and accountability on the part of the department in enhancing engagements and fostering a more comprehensive conversation on the role Treasury in fiscal management, inclusive economic growth and service delivery.
Advantages of the competition
➢ The Competition provides learners with an excellent opportunity to deepen their understanding of the provincial fiscal landscape and the challenges associated with distributing provincial resources.
➢ It Provides learners with an understanding of the budget preparation process, aligned with current socioeconomic circumstances and ethical principles, which will help the province achieve its vision and objectives in a sustainable manner.
➢ The competition also serves as a means for promoting youth participation in decision making transparency, fairness, equity, ethics and reliability in the budget Process.
➢ Students have the chance to assume the role of the MEC of Finance and distribute the province’s resources, considering both their personal requirements and those of their communities.
➢ This is also a chance for learners to understand the ethical standards associated with Budgeting.
The history of the competition
The competition was launched in 2012 in Botshabelo to promote government interaction with communities.
➢ 2012: Kgauho Secondary School
➢ 2013: All Secondary schools in Botshabelo
➢ 2014: The Entire high schools of the Xhariep District Municipality
➢ 2015: Launched in Moqhaka Local Municipality
➢ 2016: The Competition was launched in Ngwathe Local Municipality
➢ 2017: all the former disadvantaged schools in the province participated
➢ 2018-2020: all the grade 12 learners in the province participated
➢ 2021: Competition was suspended due to COVID-19 regulations
➢ 2022-2025: The competition continues to cater for all the grade 12 learners in the province.
The topic
“How should the government spend R45 billion to support green economy, green jobs and protect the environment?
General Considerations
➢ Infrastructure related to the green economy
➢ Skills development to use the new technology related to the green economy
➢ Business related to the green economy
➢ Creating jobs and protecting the environment
➢ Planning for the Green Economy with a focus areas like renewable energy, green buildings, sustainable transport, efficient resource management, sustainable waste management, water management, agriculture and ensuring inclusivity and social equity.
➢ Introduction: Explain the budget process and your understanding of the green economy and how the two can be used together.
➢ Body: what necessitates the green economy?
➢ What are the benefits and challenges of the green economy? Impact and implications on the different sectors or areas to be targeted for the green economy.
➢ Allocate to the different Departments and entities and indicate reasons for your allocations and the programmes to drive the green economy.
➢ Indicate how jobs will be created in the process, refereeing to inclusivity and social equity.
➢ Conclusion: summarise the important facts of your essay.
Rules of the competition
The competition is open to all learners in Grade 12 in the province.
➢ The work must be as original as possible(quotes and sources of information must be acknowledged).
➢ Essays are to be accepted in English only
➢ The length of the essay should be +/- typed pages or 5 handwritten pages.
➢ Each school is expected to supply three entrants
➢ All essays are to emailed to budgetcompetition2026@treasury.fs.gov.za chomane@treasury.fs.gov.za and economicpa@treasury.fs.gov.za or to be dropped at room 1126 Fidel Castro Building, 55 Merriam Makeba Street, Bloemfontein.
The submission of essays and judging process
➢ All entries are to be e-mailed to budgetcompetition2026@treasury.fs.gov.za, Chomane@treasury.fs.gov.za and economicpa@treasury.fs.gov.za
➢ All entries should be clearly marked with the school’s name, contact telephone numbers of the principal, the educator and the learner and the school’s email or that of the responsible educator
➢ Alternatively, essays can be dropped off at room 1126, Fidel Castro Building, Bloemfontein, corner Merriam Makeba Street and Margraaf Street.
➢ Marking and moderating the essays will be done by officials from Treasury and the Department of Education to select the top 5 learners.
➢ The top 5 learners and their educators will be invited for an interview to select positions 1-5 for prizes.
➢ The interviews will be conducted at a Central location by representatives of Treasury and Education, together with independent observers.
Prizes
Top 5 learners’ expected prizes from first to fifth position are laptops; all prizes are subject to MEC of Finance’s approval and may change without notice.
