Uncategorized
By Johnathan Paoli
KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) has officially become the last province in South Africa to commence its 2025 matric preliminary examinations, joining the rest of the country in preparing learners for the all-important National Senior Certificate (NSC) finals in October.
The KZN Education Department confirmed that its 2025 matric cohort began writing their trial examinations on Monday, with the assessments scheduled to conclude on 2 October.
Education MEC Sipho Hlomuka encouraged pupils to take the prelims seriously, stressing that they are an essential stepping stone to academic success.
“As a department, we motivate, inspire and encourage our Grade 12 learners to manage their time wisely and to use the preliminary exams as a rehearsal for the finals. We urge learners to revise past papers, maintain balance, and study in focused sessions,” Hlomuka said.
These exams, widely regarded as a “dress rehearsal” for the final NSC papers, will test the readiness of more than 200,000 Grade 12 learners in the province, the largest matric population in the country.
The MEC extended best wishes on behalf of the province, saying that the department stood firmly behind learners as they entered the final stretch of their schooling careers.
The start of the matric prelims has been staggered across the country.
Eastern Cape was the first province to begin on 25 August, followed by Gauteng, the Northern Cape, and North West before the end of the month.
Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and the Free State opened their exam sessions in early September, while the Western Cape commenced on 5 September.
KZN’s later start, on 8 September, places it at the tail end of the rollout.
According to the Department of Basic Education (DBE), the varying schedules allow provinces to align with logistical needs, curriculum completion, and local considerations.
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube previously said the different dates should not detract from the shared national commitment to support learners.
“To our matric class of 2025, as you begin your preliminary examinations, I want to commend you for the dedication and resilience that have brought you this far. Prelims are an important milestone; use them to sharpen your preparation for the final exams,” she said.
Gwarube emphasised balance, reminding learners to rest, exercise, and stay positive during what can be an anxious period.
Across the country, teachers, parents, and communities have been called upon to rally behind learners.
The DBE has provided tools such as its Mind the Gap study guides, Practical Assessment Task guidelines, and access to past exam papers online.
These resources, available across subjects like Accounting, Life Sciences, Agriculture, and Life Orientation, are designed to bolster learners’ confidence and help them master challenging content.
The Zero Dropout Campaign and education specialists have encouraged practical study strategies such as breaking subjects into manageable sections, practising active recall, and applying the Pomodoro method, 25 to 50 minutes of study followed by short breaks.
The 2025 prelims come against a backdrop of continued challenges, from school disruptions in the Western Cape to communities still recovering from flood damage in parts of the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal earlier this year.
The prelims pave the way for the NSC final examinations, which begin on 21 October with Computer Applications Technology in the morning and Eastern Languages in the afternoon.
The finals will run until 26 November, concluding with the Music Paper.
As the largest province to write last, KwaZulu-Natal will be closely watched as a barometer of national readiness.
With nearly a quarter of South Africa’s matric candidates based in KZN, their performance will weigh heavily on the national pass rate and the future skills pipeline.
INSIDE EDUCATION