Michaelhouse wins 2026 MPC Schools Challenge
The South African Reserve Bank has named Michaelhouse from KwaZulu-Natal as the winner of the 2026 Monetary Policy Committee Schools Challenge. Hoërskool Garsfontein and Bridge House College earned second and third places among ten finalist schools.
Bursaries and iPads for top young economists
Each learner from the winning Michaelhouse team receives a full university bursary subject to criteria, a cash prize, and an iPad.
The competition shortlisted ten finalist teams from across South Africa following a rigorous evaluation process.
Gauteng's Hoërskool Garsfontein secured second place, while Bridge House College from the Western Cape took third.
The remaining finalists ranked as follows: Soshanguve South Secondary came fourth, South African College High School fifth, and The Kings School White River sixth.
They were followed by Protea Heights Academy in seventh, Paarl Boys High School in eighth, Desmond Mpilo Tutu Secondary in ninth, and Murray High School in tenth place.
Stepping into the central bank Governor's shoes
First piloted in 2012, the Monetary Policy Committee Schools Challenge serves as the South African Reserve Bank's flagship corporate social investment initiative.
Aimed at Grade 12 students, the programme is designed to foster interest in central banking and monetary policy formulation.
Participating learners draft their own mock monetary policy statements based on current economic conditions.
Shortlisted teams then present their statements directly to a panel of senior central bank economists, replicating the experience of an official press conference.
A practical bridge to financial literacy
The initiative provides high schoolers with a rare hands-on introduction to monetary policy.
Directly presenting to central bank economists transforms theoretical learning into actionable skill development.
Broadening access for under-resourced schools will determine whether the programme achieves lasting societal impact.
Source: Winners of the 2026 MPC Schools Challenge
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