By Levy Masiteng
KwaZulu-Natal is preparing to accommodate a record 203,815 candidates for the 2026 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations, which begin on Tuesday.
Provincial Education MEC Sipho Hlomuka announced the figures on Monday during a media briefing on the department’s state of readiness at the Maritime School of Excellence in Durban.
He said the record number of candidates had prompted the department to strengthen its examination systems to ensure the process was conducted securely and efficiently.
Of the registered candidates, 188,102 are full-time and 15,713 are part-time. The total represents an increase of 7,916 candidates, or about 4%, from the 195,899 registered in 2025.
“This is the biggest examination ever conducted by the Province of KwaZulu-Natal, and the biggest examination operation in the country,” Hlomuka said.
The examinations will run from October 13 to November 26.
Hlomuka said the increase reflected the growing number of learners reaching the end of their schooling, but also placed greater responsibility on the department to ensure every candidate had a fair and secure opportunity to complete their Grade 12 qualification.
The department has trained about 31,156 invigilators to oversee examinations at approximately 1,766 centres across the province.
It expects to print 112 question papers, amounting to about 32 million individual prints. Examination materials will be distributed through 13 storage points and 103 distribution and collection centres.
The examination timetable comprises 29 morning sessions and 24 afternoon sessions, requiring careful coordination to ensure question papers reach the correct centres on time and under secure conditions.
The department has also trained chief invigilators and invigilators, while district teams have been briefed on examination rules, procedures and protocols.
“The integrity of the NSC examinations is non-negotiable. Every learner must be confident that their performance will be assessed fairly and that the examination process is protected from any form of malpractice or irregularity,” Hlomuka said.
The department is working with relevant joint operations and management structures to maintain a secure examination environment.
Preparations are also under way for marking, with 12,386 personnel expected to be appointed.
The team will comprise 8,186 markers, 1,637 senior markers, 325 deputy chief markers, 67 chief markers, 65 internal moderators, 348 examination administration personnel and 1,758 examination assistants.
Hlomuka said appointment letters for markers were expected to be issued by October 16.
Marking is scheduled to begin on December 2 and conclude on December 11.
The national announcement of the 2026 NSC results is scheduled for January 11, 2027, followed by KwaZulu-Natal’s provincial announcement on January 12.
Hlomuka urged candidates to approach the examinations with discipline and confidence, saying the department had provided additional academic support through winter tuition programmes and spring boot camps.
More than 4,380 learners benefited from the winter camps held between June and July, while spring boot camps were conducted across all 11 districts during October to provide support in key and challenging subjects.
The department has also been piloting a virtual therapy programme to support the mental well-being and examination preparation of candidates and educators.
“The key to succeed in this assessment phase is to approach every examination with discipline, confidence and determination,” Hlomuka said.
“Read every question carefully. Manage your time. The biggest enemy that seeks to undermine your preparation is anxiety. You must not allow it to win.”
He appealed to parents, guardians and communities to provide learners with supportive environments in which they could study, prepare and rest adequately.
“The NSC is more than an examination. It is an important gateway to higher education, skills development, employment and economic opportunity,” he said.
With the examinations coinciding with the November 4 local government elections, Hlomuka said measures had been introduced to minimise disruptions.
He said the department had also revised the timetable for internal examinations for Grades 4 to 11 to protect learners during the election period.
Those examinations are scheduled to run from October 21 to November 14.
The department said it was confident that its preparations would allow the province to accommodate the record number of matric candidates without compromising the credibility and integrity of the examinations.
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