South Africa’s matric Class of 2026 has been urged to uphold honesty, discipline and integrity as learners prepare to begin their National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations on Tuesday, 13 October.
Pledge-signing ceremonies were held at schools across the country last Friday, giving matric candidates an opportunity to reaffirm their commitment to academic excellence and ethical conduct ahead of their final school examinations.
READ | Nearly 1 million matriculants to write NSC exams this week
Don’t jeopardise years of hard work
President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the message to Free State matriculants at a provincial ceremony at the Bluegumbosch Multipurpose Centre in Qwaqwa, encouraging learners to remain focused and avoid decisions that could jeopardise years of hard work.
“Believe in yourselves, for we believe in you. The nation stands behind you. We are proud of you for having reached this milestone. And we wish you every success,” Ramaphosa said.
The President acknowledged the sacrifices made by learners, their families, teachers and tutors in preparing for the examinations.
He said the NSC examinations represented an opportunity for candidates to reap the rewards of their investment in education.
“No worthwhile goal can be achieved without sacrifice. Without persistence. Without discipline,” he said.
Ramaphosa also praised educators for their commitment to learners, noting that teachers often sacrifice time with their own families to support their students.
He highlighted the achievements of learners from no-fee schools in townships and rural areas, saying their progress reflected both individual determination and efforts to build an education system that gives all learners an opportunity to succeed.
READ | 268 inmates to write 2026 matric exams across South Africa
Free State urged to reclaim matric crown
Ramaphosa also challenged the Free State to reclaim its position as South Africa’s top-performing province in the matric examinations.
The province recorded the country’s highest matric pass rate for three consecutive years, from 2022 to 2024, before KwaZulu-Natal ended its winning streak in 2025.
“As the President of the Republic, I cannot favour any one province in the competition for first place, but we do expect the Free State to do everything it can to take its crown back,” he said.
Gwarube warns matriculants against cheating
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube, meanwhile, attended the Western Cape’s pledge-signing ceremony at Fezeka Secondary School, where she urged candidates to approach the examinations with integrity and discipline.
Drawing on her own educational journey, Gwarube encouraged learners to take responsibility for their futures through diligent preparation and decisions that would open doors to opportunities beyond school.
She also warned candidates against examination irregularities, including bringing cellphones or crib notes into examination rooms and using leaked question papers.
“There are no shortcuts to success. A cellphone hidden in a pocket is not preparation. A leaked question paper is not intelligence. Copying another learner’s work is not achievement,” she said.
Gwarube stressed that the NSC must remain a qualification that South Africans can trust because it is earned honestly.
The pledge is intended to reinforce learners’ commitment to following examination rules, taking accountability for their actions and giving their best throughout the examination period.
Matric pledge focuses on discipline and responsibility
In Gauteng, Deputy Minister of Basic Education Reginah Mhaule joined provincial Education MEC Lebogang Maile at Riverside High School in Three Rivers, Vereeniging.
Mhaule said the ceremony represented more than a commitment to comply with examination rules, emphasising the importance of academic excellence, integrity and personal responsibility.
“Today, our learners are making a commitment not only to the examination system, but to themselves and the futures they are working to build,” she said.
The ceremonies are intended to encourage candidates to approach their final school examinations with confidence and determination while reinforcing fairness and accountability across the examination system.
When do the 2026 matric exams start?
The 2026 NSC examinations begin on Tuesday, 13 October, with Computer Applications Technology (CAT) Paper 1 practical scheduled for the first session.
The second session includes Hindi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu Home Language, First Additional Language and Second Additional Language Paper 1, as well as Hebrew Second Additional Language and German Home Language, First Additional Language and Second Additional Language Paper 1.
The examination period will conclude on Thursday, 26 November.
Learners have been urged to consult the official examination timetable to confirm the dates and times of their individual subjects.
As the Class of 2026 prepares to write, the message from the country’s leadership is clear: preparation, discipline and honesty must go hand in hand if learners are to finish their school careers successfully.