The Department of Basic Education has declared its readiness for the 2025 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations. The exams will commence on Tuesday, 21 October and conclude on 27 November. Approximately 900 000 candidates will participate, including 766 000 full-time and 137 000 part-time learners. This year sees the highest number of full-time candidates since 1996.
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube confirmed the system’s preparedness. She spoke at a briefing in Skukuza, Mpumalanga, on Monday. Gwarube stated that rigorous measures are in place.
These measures cover all stages of the examination process to ensure the integrity of the results. The process includes question paper setting, printing, and distribution. It also covers marking and certification. The minister described the annual matric exams as a massive national undertaking.
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Ensuring exam integrity
Quality assurer Umalusi has also expressed confidence in the system. Dr Mafu Rakometsi, Umalusi’s CEO, stated they did everything possible to uphold credibility.
He acknowledged some challenges, such as a shortage of markers. This affects subjects like history and certain language papers. However, he was satisfied with the department’s mitigation strategies. These include additional recruitment drives and extending the marking period.
Over 6 900 examination centres will be used nationwide. These centres have been audited and categorised by risk level. This helps guide the deployment of invigilators and security. More than 40 000 trained personnel will manage the process.
Gwarube emphasised that integrity is the cornerstone of the NSC certificate. She highlighted the resilience of the 2025 cohort. These learners began high school during the COVID-19 pandemic. They faced significant educational and psychological challenges.
While the department is prepared, discussions around the pass rate continue. Some analysts point to a “real” matric pass rate of around 50%. This figure accounts for learners who drop out before reaching matric. The official pass rate for 2024 was 87.3%.
Image: The Eastern Cape education department has given the green light for 2025 matric exams.
