The final school exams for matriculants are almost here! As of today, there are 40 days to go from the start of the 2025 National Senior Certificate exams! Education MEC, David Maynier, says the exams will start on Tuesday, 21 October. It will end on Wednesday, 26 November.
The final school exams for matriculants are almost here!
Maynier has expressed his satisfaction that the Province’s matric teachers, tutors and officials have been hard at work preparing the candidates for the final hurdle of their school careers. He says nearly 22,000 matrics attended their #BackOnTrack Winter School during the mid-year holidays. This took place in all 8 education districts.
Revision classes
Maynier added that Revision classes will also take place during the Spring school holidays in October. Matrics will also have attended weekend revision classes during the 3rd term. The MEC also reminded Grade-12 learners that the Department’s annual Matric Support booklet has been delivered to schools. This contains past matric papers, administrative details like the exam timetable and pass requirements. You can also find study tips as well as advice for post-school studies.
“Please put the best interests of our children first, so that they are in the best possible mindset for the exams,” said MEC Maynier.
Grade 12 learners are on the home stretch
He has encouraged Grade 12 learners that they are on the home stretch and that it’s the time now for complete focus and commitment. The MEC added that the hours that these learners will invest over the next 40 days will be of great benefit to them during the exams. Maynier says the run-up to the matric exams can be a particularly stressful period for our candidates.
MEC Maynier added, “They are already under enough pressure, and do not need the added stress of protests and disruptions in and around schools.”
Prioritise matric candidates
He has encouraged learners who are struggling or adults who are concerned about a learner’s mental health to reach out to them. He says School staff can seek guidance from their district support teams. You can also contact the Safe Schools Hotline [0800 45 46 47 toll-free]. This connects learners with help from their partner government departments and NGOs.
A wide variety of eLearning resources
At the same time, Maynier has asked members of the public to prioritise matric candidates and make them the VIPs of our province. This is in the run-up to and during the exams. Officials at the Department have also collected a wide variety of eLearning resources to support matrics. The MEC says this includes past papers and memos, video lessons, content summaries and study guides.
He concluded, ” We are here to support you, and we cannot wait to celebrate with you when the results are released in 2026!”
Learners can access these on the WCED website and on their ePortal.
VISIT: The Department’s ePortal


