A record cohort of 962,832 candidates across South Africa commenced the 2026 National Senior Certificate examinations on Tuesday, 13 October.
To address the psychological strain of assessments, counselling psychologist Rachel Molongoana outlined actionable methods for managing matric exam stress during an interview with Salaamedia.
Molongoana distinguished acute pressure from deeper distress, noting that targeted planning provides learners with immediate relief and structural control.
“Preparation helps [to manage] stress a lot. If you can plan around the tasks that you have at hand, breaking it down into smaller pieces that feel more manageable, less intimidating,” Molongoana explained.
“I would definitely recommend having a routine to try to maintain. You need to figure that out what works for me, what does not work for me. What works for your friend might not work for you.”
Molongoana further noted the essential difference between temporary task tension and clinical anxiety, explaining that stress usually links directly to an immediate challenge and subsides once addressed, whereas anxiety tends to become pervasive.
Mitigating matric exam stress requires active cooperation between families, schools, and learners. Molongoana observed that youth face heightened academic demands compounded by unrealistic digital comparisons, which requires adults to monitor changes in cognitive functioning, sleep, and social behaviour.
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