From today, all 2016 grade 12 learners in the province's schools will receive educational tablets, says Gauteng education MEC Panyaza Lesufi.
He was speaking at a Youth Development Expo held at the University of Johannesburg's Soweto Campus and said the tablets were part of government's plans to improve the lives of the youth.
"In Gauteng, if you want to see a chalk or a duster you must go to a museum, you must not go into our classrooms," he said.
Lesufi said all matric learners will also get free, unlimited data from 5am to 9pm every day.
Last year, the Gauteng Department of Education launched its "paperless classroom" project, which saw some schools across the province switch from chalkboards to smartboards, while learners received tablets. The education MEC has made it his mission to ensure government's ambitious plans for one teacher, one laptop, and one child, one tablet become a reality by 2018.
Lesufi did not mention how many tablets would be rolled out to schools this week, or which schools would be the first to receive them.
Last year, 375 high schools in Soweto went digital as part of the "paperless classroom" project. Around 65 000 tablets were reportedly distributed to schools in Gauteng in 2015.
Katlego Kobuoe from Anchor High School in Soweto will be one of this year's beneficiaries. The 19-year-old said he cannot wait to complete his matric and start studying to become a mechanical engineer.
He plans to enrol with South West Gauteng Technical Vocational Education and Training College next year to realise his dream.
The Youth Development Expo was held by deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa, who was supported by a number of ministers and deputy ministers, as well as City of Johannesburg mayor Parks Tau, the National Youth Development Agency, and others. Government departments, state entities and more than 60 companies participated in the expo through exhibition.
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