Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane has assured the public that the province is fully prepared for the upcoming 2025 matric examinations and the subsequent 2026 school placement process.
Speaking at Parktown Girls’ High School, Chiloane announced that 192,745 candidates are registered to write the 2025 National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams, comprising 144,246 full-time and 48,499 part-time learners.
“We have seen an increase of over 8,000 full-time learners from the previous year, and all 1,040 exam centres are fully compliant and ready,” said Chiloane.
The MEC issued a stern warning against cheating, emphasizing the critical importance of exam integrity. “Cheating is not only unethical, it can destroy your future. Learners found guilty face having their results nullified and being barred from writing for up to three years,” he cautioned.
Regarding the 2026 academic year, Chiloane confirmed that placement offers for Grade 1 and Grade 8 will begin on Thursday, 16 October 2025, with parents to be notified via SMS. He revealed that the department received over 820,000 applications and that mobile classrooms will be deployed to schools experiencing high demand.
Chiloane stated that the department is targeting a 90% matric pass rate for this year. “The Class of 2025 has shown resilience and discipline, and we believe they will rise to the occasion,” he said.
Concluding his address, the MEC urged parents and communities to support learners and avoid creating disruptions near schools during the exam period.
“We are confident in our preparations and proud of the hard work done by our educators and learners,” Chiloane said.
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