The Department of Basic Education has declared itself ready for the 2026 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations, with a record 962 832 candidates registered to sit the October/November examinations.
Of these, 815 051 are full-time candidates, an increase of 48 508 from last year, while 147 781 are part-time candidates, including those seeking to improve their previous results.
The exams start on Tuesday, 13 October.
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Largest full-time cohort ever
Announcing the state of readiness in Pretoria on Sunday, Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube said the Class of 2026 was the largest full-time cohort to sit the NSC examinations to date.
“All candidates have been provided with all the support they would need to perform, and I am happy to declare that learners are ready for the 2026 NSC Exams,” the Minister said.
The examinations require coordination across all nine provinces, with approximately 7 100 examination centres established for candidates.
Gwarube said the department had audited the examination centre network and implemented a risk-based monitoring approach to direct supervision and resources where they were most needed.
She confirmed that the setting, moderation and quality assurance of examination materials had been completed, with all question papers and examination instruments reviewed by the department and approved by Umalusi.
Security measures had also been strengthened across the production and distribution chain, including the vetting of examination officials and collaboration with national and provincial law enforcement structures.
The department has established 189 marking centres and recruited 51 104 qualified and experienced educators to mark examination scripts.
A standardised national marking approach, strict quality-control processes and strengthened moderation of school-based assessments will be applied to protect the credibility of the qualification.
Learner support and preparation
The department has implemented its 2026 Learner Support Programme across all 75 education districts, reaching 159 180 learners at 1 262 centres.
The programme provided additional learning and revision opportunities, particularly for progressed learners, those requiring extra support and schools experiencing performance challenges.
Learners also received support through revision guides, previous examination papers, online learning materials, digital notes and mock examinations.
The Second Chance Matric Programme continues to support part-time candidates through after-hours and weekend classes at 41 centres, learning materials distributed to 84 centres and 15 provincial learner workshops.
Candidates also have access to class monitoring, free online study resources and educational broadcasts on radio and television.
Gwarube acknowledged that the Class of 2026 experienced disruptions to schooling during the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly during the transition from the Intermediate Phase to the Senior Phase.
The department had responded by strengthening curriculum coverage, using assessment information to identify learning gaps and providing additional revision opportunities.
The Minister also urged parents and guardians to provide learners with a supportive home environment during the final preparation period.
“So, we appeal to parents, not to burden learners with a load of household chores nor expect them to run family errands. Please give them the space and support they need to perform at their very best in these exams,” the Minister said.
Protecting the examinations
Gwarube said the department had adopted a zero-tolerance approach to examination irregularities and reinforced candidate and parent pledge agreements to promote integrity.
A 24-hour examination hotline is active for members of the public to report suspicious activity.
Contingency plans are also in place to respond to operational challenges, including severe weather and community disruptions.
The Minister appealed to communities not to disrupt examinations to express dissatisfaction over service delivery or political and socioeconomic issues.
“I appeal to communities not to prejudice the Matric Class of 2026 by disrupting the NSC Exams for service delivery, political, or socio-economic dissatisfaction. The NSC candidates cannot resolve societal problems; it is Ministers, as elected representatives, who must account. Please do not go to schools; come to our offices in Pretoria and in parliament,” Gwarube said,
She urged communities not to disrupt the examinations in any way, saying the responsibility for ensuring that candidates could write in a safe and secure environment rested with all South Africans.
Having considered the preparations reported by all nine provincial education departments, Gwarube formally declared the department and the Class of 2026 ready for the examinations.