Gauteng Gears Up for 2025 Matric Exams

The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has announced that the province is fully prepared to conduct the 2025 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations, which will commence on October 21 and run through November 27.

“A total of 192,745 candidates have registered to write the examinations in Gauteng, marking the 18th cohort to undertake the NSC. This includes 144,246 full-time candidates—a 6% increase from 2024—and 48,499 part-time candidates,” Education MEC Matome Chiloane said in a media briefing on Sunday, October 12.

The department has designated 1,040 examination centres across the province, all of which have been audited and deemed compliant. Invigilators and monitors have been trained and appointed to ensure smooth administration of the exams.

Building on Last Year’s Success

Gauteng’s Class of 2024 achieved an impressive 88.41% pass rate, representing a 3% improvement from 2023.

The province also recorded 66,979 bachelor passes (52.3% bachelor pass rate)—the highest number of bachelor passes in Gauteng since 1996 and the second-highest in the country.

The Johannesburg West District distinguished itself as the top-performing district in South Africa with a 97% matric pass rate.

Based on term results throughout 2025, the department believes that the. Gauteng Class of 2025 is on track to continue this upward trajectory, potentially reaching the 90% pass rate milestone.

According to MEC Chiloane, matric students have received extensive support through live lesson broadcasts, the Secondary School Improvement Programme (SSIP), and High Flyer interventions.

Throughout the academic year, many students attended SSIP residential camps during school holidays, where they received intensive subject-specific assistance.