FlySafair has announced the 10 winning schools in its 2026 School Booster Competition. Now in its third year, the initiative helps learners access educational, sporting and cultural opportunities through travel. Each winning school will receive 10 return domestic flights to support learner development, whether for school tours, competitions, leadership programmes or first-time flying experiences.
The 10 winning schools for 2026 are:
- Prescient Primary School – KwaZulu-Natal
- Guduza Secondary School – Mpumalanga
- Curro Wilgeheuwel High School – Gauteng
- Hudson Park Primary School – Eastern Cape
- Humbulani Football Academy – Limpopo
- Laerskool Die Ruiter – Gauteng
- Desmond Mpilo Tutu Secondary School – Western Cape
- Onkgopotse Tiro Comprehensive – North West
- Hoër Landbouskool Boland – Western Cape
- Kensiohouse Therapeutic School – Western Cape
This year’s competition drew 949 entries from schools across South Africa, reflecting continued demand for opportunities that enable learners to travel, compete and experience new environments. With this year’s winners included, FlySafair has now supported 23 schools since the competition launched in 2024, starting with three winners in its inaugural year and expanding to 10 schools in both 2025 and 2026.
“Every year, we read hundreds of entries from schools across South Africa and are reminded how ambitious and resourceful our educators and learners are,” says Kirby Gordon, Chief Marketing Officer at FlySafair. “What stands out is not only what these schools have already achieved, but what they hope to achieve next. Sometimes all that is needed is the opportunity to get somewhere, and we are proud to help make that possible.”
The spirit of the campaign was on full display during a recent prize handover at Laerskool Die Ruiter in Gauteng. The school’s principal, Antonie Marais, who has spent 35 years in education and 21 years leading the school, shared how the flights will support the school’s annual Southern Cape tour for learners.
“Every year since 2018, we have taken 25 learners to the Southern Cape,” said Marais. “One of my teachers saw the competition and told me about it. With fuel prices and the cost of travel increasing, budgeting for the tour has become more difficult. These tickets will help us get our learners there. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for this privilege.”
The prize was accepted on behalf of the learners by head boy Josiah Harichund and head girl Kamohelo Thelejane, who shared what the opportunity means for the school community.
“We are incredibly grateful and honoured to have won the tickets,” said Harichund. “We appreciate the opportunities and experiences that this prize will provide for our learners.”
Thelejane added: “Receiving these airplane tickets means so much to us. This is something many of us will remember for a long time.”
The winning schools represent a broad mix of educational institutions across South Africa, from mainstream public and independent schools to specialised learning environments, sporting academies and agricultural schools. Together, they reflect the diversity of the learners the competition aims to support and the many ways that travel can help unlock new opportunities.
“Every school has a different reason for entering, but the common thread is opportunity,” adds Gordon. “Whether that means representing their school at a competition, exploring a new city or experiencing air travel for the first time, we are proud to help learners access experiences that stay with them long after the flight lands.”
School Booster forms part of FlySafair’s growing portfolio of community initiatives. The airline’s annual Business Booster competition has awarded 180 return business class flights to small businesses across South Africa, while its partnership with Wings & Wishes continues to help children from under-resourced communities access specialist medical care in other cities. The Artist Project, which commissions original artworks from local artists for installation onboard FlySafair aircraft, celebrates South African creativity at 30,000 feet.
