SCHOOL NEWS - This year, 77 442 candidates will write the National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams in the Western Cape.
Of these, 67 606 are full-time matric candidates, while 9 836 are part-time or repeat candidates. The province has 3 231 more full-time candidates writing than in 2024.
The exams begin on Tuesday 21 October, with 12 736 candidates writing the Computer Applications Technology (CAT) Practical exam in the morning. In total, 112 exam papers will be written by the time the exams end on 26 November.
As in previous years, the subject with the largest number of candidates is Mathematical Literacy, with 53 206 candidates writing Paper 1 on Friday 31 October and Paper 2 on Monday 3 November.
On the other end of the scale, two subjects have just one candidate writing in the Western Cape: Sesotho First Additional Language and Setswana Home Language.
The implementation of the exams is a mammoth administrative exercise. Candidates will write at 473 exam centres, with 2 046 trained invigilators appointed to keep a close eye on proceedings. Marking will take place at the beginning of December, with 954 000 examination scripts being marked by 4 190 markers.
The national Minister of Education Siviwe Gwarube, will announce the national and provincial pass rates on Monday 12 January 2026 and candidates will receive their individual results the following day.
Western Cape Education Minister David Maynier says the department appreciates the incredible work that examination officials do each year to ensure that the exams run smoothly.
“Our matrics and their teachers have also put in a tremendous amount of work to prepare for these exams, so we appeal to everyone in our province to put the best interests of our candidates first during the exam period.
“We wish our candidates all the best for the final days of revision, and look forward to celebrating with them when the results are released!”
The national matric exam timetable is available here.
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