The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has reported that the 2025 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations are running smoothly as the country’s more than 920 000 candidates reach the halfway mark of their final exams. The large-scale assessment, held across about 6800 centres nationwide, has so far proceeded without significant disruption.
DBE spokesperson Terence Khala said the department’s success in managing the exam process stemmed from effective planning and cooperation among all stakeholders.
“We are pleased to report that the administration of the exams has remained stable across all nine provinces,” Khala said.
“Even in cases where isolated incidents have occurred, our contingency and risk-management plans were quickly activated to protect the integrity of the examinations.”
Challenges contained through 2025 matric exams coordination
While the department acknowledged minor administrative delays and occasional community protests in some areas, these issues were addressed with assistance from local authorities and law enforcement. The DBE stated that such prompt responses ensured that no exam sessions were missed and that learners were able to continue writing without further interruption.
Fairness and support for learners
The DBE also responded to complaints from candidates who found Mathematics Papers 1 and 2 difficult. It said that the papers are designed to evaluate a full range of cognitive skills, including higher-order problem-solving. The department assured learners that fairness will be upheld during the results standardisation process led by the quality assurance body Umalusi.
“No learner will be disadvantaged if any paper is found to be more difficult than anticipated,” the DBE stated.
“Results are moderated scientifically to protect fairness, credibility, and consistency in the system.”
The 2025 NSC examinations are expected to conclude in early December, with marking and moderation to follow before the official release of results in January.
