The schooling career of more than 77,000 learners in the Western Cape is officially coming to an end, as the last of the matric examinations are being written on Wednesday.  

A fraction of these candidates is sitting for Agricultural Management Practices, Marine Sciences or Music Comprehension on the final day.  

The final exam process already got underway in August with Performing Arts Practicals, then the Life Orientation exam paper in September, followed by more formal proceedings such as the pledge signing ceremony and the other exams from mid-October.  

Now, on 26 November, Education MEC Maynier confirmed that the last 1,470 candidates in the Western Cape are fulfilling their final obligation as matric learners. This marks a significant milestone for the class of 2025. 

According to the provincial education department, 77,442 candidates took part in the National Senior Certificate in the province, including 67,606 full-time matric candidates and 9,836 part-time or repeat candidates. 

Officials note that this year’s candidate group accounted for 3,231 more full-time candidates in the Western Cape compared to 2024. 

Nonetheless, Maynier said the exam period had proceeded without major disruptions. 

“The exam session has run smoothly this year, thanks to the exceptional management by our officials and school staff”.  

He described the operation as “a massive administrative task”, carried out across 473 exam centres with 2,046 trained invigilators overseeing proceedings. 

With it now concluded, Maynier said the focus shifts to the next stage of the process. 

As marking begins, the MEC confirmed that 4,190 markers will now grade over 954,000 exam scripts.  

This is ahead of the national announcement of matric results, scheduled for 12 January 2026. Candidates are expected to receive their results the following day. 

Maynier praised all stakeholders involved in the operations of the matric exams and wished the Class of 2025 well.  

“Congratulations to all our matrics for completing the exams. We can’t wait to celebrate with you when the results are released next year.”