This week, reports on the 2025 final matric examinations readiness have been streaming in from various education departments and quality assurer UMALUSI.
So as the system in its entirety readies itself, the question becomes: is everyone truly ready?
Throughout the years, research has shown that this time of the year brings with it a lot of anxiety for matric learners and those who are supporting them.
Take Oratiloe Maseko for example. She attends Ficksburg High School in the Free and says she is feeling anxious as she prepares to write her end of year exams.
“I feel demotivated and very stressed. They put a lot of information in our minds in a short space of time so it’s very stressful,” she said.
Her mother, Portia Maseko, says she is doing her best to help her daughter feel less overwhelmed. She has even taken away her home chores so that she fully immerses herself in her studies with less distractions.
“As a mom, I support her by finding extra study material and I’ve enrolled her for extra lessons in maths and science. I’ve downloaded previous matric exam papers so she can familiarise herself with what to expect and we practice how to answer. I’ve also bought supplements that help her to focus and I give her a lot of emotional support by being available when she needs to talk to someone about her anxiety,” said Maseko.
Thato Madumo of Brescia House School in Gauteng, has also expressed being nervous about her final exam.
“It’s mostly due to the realisation that these marks will impact my future,” she said.
When it comes to preparing, Madumo says she likes starting with subjects that she feels more confident in when studying. She also likes reading while walking on a treadmill which helps her to focus. She credits the support that she has been receiving from her family and friends as significant in reducing her anxiety levels.
“Surround yourselves with people that have similar goals and aspirations, while also ensuring that you get enough sleep and eat healthy. Most of us take that advice for granted, but it really helps,” Madumo said.
Meanwhile UMALUSI says it is all systems go and has approved the writing of the 2025 final national exams.
It concluded its 2 months audit of the state of readiness of the public (Department of Basic Education and Department of Higher Education and Training) and private assessment bodies (Independent Examinations Board and South African Comprehensive Assessment Institute) to conduct, administer and manage the 2025 final national examinations.
According to its report, the council says over one million candidates are registered across four assessment bodies to sit for the 2025 national exams at the end of the year. The figures are based on final registration data that UMALUSI has received.
Various provinces have also stated their readiness to administer the NSC exams.
The Gauteng Department of Education has reported that 192 745 candidates have registered to write the final exams and that 1 040 centres have been registered to conduct the exams. All centres have been audited and are deemed compliant.
The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education, has also reported that it’s fully prepared to commence the 2025 final examinations and that this year, 179 751 full-time and 16 148 part-time candidates, will sit to write their final exams across various examination centres throughout the province.
In the Western Cape, 77 442 candidates have been registered.
UMALUSI is confident that the system is ready to administer the exams. It has applauded the efforts of the DBE, Provincial Education Departments (PEDs), DHET, IEB, SACAI and all other role players for doing everything humanly possible to uphold the credibility and integrity of the examinations.
“We wish the class of 2025 strength and determination as they enter the final lap of their journey in the general and further education and training system,” Chief Executive Officer of UMALUSI, Dr Mafu Rakometsi said. Exams commence on Tuesday, 21 October 2025 and conclude on 27 November 2025.