By Levy Masiteng
KwaZulu-Natal Education MEC Sipho Hlomuka has told the province’s Class of 2026 to make every remaining day count, warning that success in the matric exams will not come from a last-minute rush but from consistent preparation.
Hlomuka made the call on Tuesday, at Estcourt High School in the uThukela District, where he marked the 50-day countdown to the 2026 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations.
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“The road to matric success is paved with consistent effort, not last-minute rushes,” he said.
Hlomuka said learners should use the countdown to revise consistently and take advantage of the support programmes offered by the provincial education department.
He said the department’s learner-support interventions included holiday camps, winter classes, extra classes, weekend programmes and revision materials.
“Cheating robs not only yourself but the entire system of its credibility,” Hlomuka said.
The countdown comes as KwaZulu-Natal prepares to defend its position as the country’s top-performing province after recording the best matric pass rate in the 2025 NSC exams.
Hlomuka reminded learners that they were carrying the responsibility of maintaining that achievement, with six KZN districts having featured among the 10 best-performing districts nationally in 2025.
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The uThukela District, where Tuesday’s countdown event was held, also improved its pass rate from 85% in 2024 to 86.2% in 2025. Of the 12,121 learners who wrote the examinations in the district last year, 10,450 obtained the NSC.
“Today we are here to hand over that baton of excellence,” Hlomuka said.
He called on parents and guardians to create supportive environments at home, monitor learners’ progress and encourage them to participate in the department’s various examination preparation programmes.
The 2026 NSC exams are scheduled to begin on 13 October and run until 25 November.
“To the Class of 2026: the entire country’s eyes are upon you. For the first time, you are the province everyone is chasing. Make every one of the 50 days count. Make us proud!” Hlomuka said.
