STUDENT SUPPORT: From AI tutors to maths clubs, learners find new routes to exam support

A record 962,832 candidates are sitting for the 2026 National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams, which began on 13 October 2026 and conclude on 26 November 2026. For learners, the exams mark the culmination of a year’s work; for many families, they also bring the question of how to find extra support when private tutoring is out of reach.

At a media briefing on 11 October, Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube said preparations for the examinations had been completed. This year’s cohort comprises 815,051 full-time and 147,781 part-time candidates. The Department of Basic Education has established about 7,100 examination centres, and more than 51,000 educators have been recruited to mark scripts.

Gwarube said provincial performance would be measured using a broader range of indicators. These included Bachelor passes and distinctions, learner retention, and participation and performance in gateway subjects such as Mathematics, Physical Sciences, Accounting and Economics. The aim, she said, was to help provinces compare their performance more meaningfully and identify where intervention was needed. The measure of success, then, would not be only how many learners passed, but whether provinces were improving literacy and numeracy, retaining learners and strengthening participation in key subjects.

Gwarube confirmed the question papers had been set, moderated and quality-assured, and approved by Umalusi.

Free digital tools offer another route to support

Exam readiness involves more than examination centres and question papers. When a difficult concept will not click, extra help can make a difference, but regular private tuition remains out of reach for many families. A recent Daily Maverick article reported that one-to-one matric lessons can cost up to R750 an hour.

Free digital resources and community maths clubs offer learners other ways to get support as they prepare for exams. One option being offered to Grade 12 learners preparing for their final examinations is Saving Grace AI Tutor, which Charles Mukembe, the school’s head of educational technology and systems infrastructure, explained would be available to learners for free.

The Caps-aligned (Curriculum and Policy Assessment) platform is designed to let learners ask questions, get explanations and follow up when they need more help. Rather than presenting only a fixed lesson or set of exercises, the AI tutor is built around conversation. Mukembe said learners could phrase questions in their own words and ask for clarification if an explanation did not make sense. The platform could also use an interactive learning board to show concepts visually, another way of approaching topics that may be difficult to understand from text alone.

WhatsApp tutoring and grassroots maths clubs

For learners who benefit from practising with others or getting help through a community programme, maths clubs offer another route to support.

Since 2008, Olico Maths Education has worked to help learners build mathematical skills and confidence. The organisation began with after-school programmes in low-income communities, including Diepsloot, Alex and Khayelitsha. Its work has since expanded to include teacher support, partnerships with other organisations and collaboration with provincial education departments.

“Most of them are many, many years behind where they should be mathematically,” said Andrew Barrett, Olico’s executive director and co-founder, describing the learners the organisation works with.

To help address those gaps, Olico developed its own online learning resources, designed to connect foundational concepts with grade-level mathematics. The open-access materials focus mainly on grades 7 to 9, with additional support for matric learners preparing for exams, as well as games and activities for younger children.

Olico runs in-person tutoring programmes at schools in the Western Cape, Gauteng and Limpopo. About 2,500 high-school learners attend its tutoring centres, while about 4,500 primary-school learners take part in after-school maths clubs. Through games and other activities, the clubs aim to strengthen children’s number sense and confidence. The organisation’s resources are also used by partner organisations running more than 1,800 maths clubs across the country, reaching approximately 28,000 learners.

Olico is approaching its 1,000th matric graduate. Barrett said that over the past decade, close to 60% of the organisation’s learners achieved a pass of at least 50% in pure Mathematics, compared with an average of about 7% among learners in national school quintiles 1 to 3. He said a pass at this level could help open pathways to further study and funding opportunities, including the National Student Financial Aid Scheme.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Olico began supporting learners via WhatsApp. That work has grown into a free tutor bot for students in grades 7 to 12, combining structured learning pathways with homework support. Learners can send a photo of a question and their attempt at answering it. The tutor can check their work and, if needed, guide them through the steps rather than simply giving them the answer.

Learners can register through Olico’s online learning portal at learn.olico.org or message “Hi” to 0600 39 00 00 to connect with the Maths Hotline. The service operates from 2pm to 10pm, seven days a week. DM