Umalusi says South Africa is well prepared for the 2026 national examinations, with the quality assurance body confirming that key systems are in place for the exams to be conducted, administered and managed smoothly.
This follows Umalusi’s State of Readiness briefing held on Thursday, 8 October 2026, at its Pretoria offices. The briefing focused on the readiness of the public and private assessment bodies, including the DBE, DHET, IEB and SACAI, to deliver the 2026 year-end examinations for the NSC, NCV Level 4 and GETC: ABET.
More than 1.08 million candidates are registered to write the 2026 examinations, with about 92% of the candidates registered for the National Senior Certificate.
Umalusi says 9 183 examination centres have been identified and assessed across the four assessment bodies. High-risk centres will receive additional monitoring to strengthen security and ensure the examinations are properly managed.
The organisation has also confirmed that question papers have been approved, while security measures are in place for their printing, packaging, storage and distribution.
Invigilators have been trained, marking capacity has been assessed and mark-capturing systems have been audited to ensure that learners’ marks are accurately recorded and verified.
Umalusi has also made provision for learners who require additional support, including extra writing time, Braille and large-print examination papers.
With these preparations in place, Umalusi says the 2026 national examinations are ready to proceed, with quality assurance and examination security remaining key priorities.
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