Terence Khala – Basic Education Acting Spokesperson
As the 2026 National Senior Certificate examinations draw closer, thousands of young South Africans are preparing for one of the most significant milestones in their schooling journey.
For the Class of 2026, these examinations represent the culmination of years of learning, perseverance and hard work. They are an opportunity for learners to demonstrate what they have learnt, but they are also a bridge to the many pathways that lie beyond the school system.
This is why, as the Department of Basic Education, we continue to emphasise that the NSC examinations are about more than marks. Behind every examination number is a young person with aspirations, potential and a future to build. Behind every learner is also a network of teachers, parents, guardians, officials and communities that has supported their journey through the education system.
Our responsibility during this period is therefore not limited to ensuring that examinations are administered efficiently and with integrity. We must equally ensure that learners are supported academically, emotionally and socially as they prepare to write.
Supporting the whole learner
Schools have an important role to play in providing structured revision, additional academic support and environments that allow learners to prepare effectively.
But academic preparation cannot be separated from learner wellbeing. Examination periods can bring increased pressure and anxiety. Learners must know that asking for help is not a sign of weakness. Schools should remain spaces in which learners feel safe to raise concerns, seek assistance and access the psychosocial support available to them.
Parents and guardians are equally important partners. Something as simple as helping a learner establish a healthy routine with sufficient time for studying, eating properly, resting and sleeping can make an important difference.
Communities, too, have a responsibility to protect the conditions in which young people learn. During this period, our collective message should be clear: give our learners the space, encouragement and support they need to succeed.
No examination result should ever come at the expense of a learner’s safety, dignity or wellbeing.
Learning in a changing world
The Class of 2026 is completing school at a time of significant technological change. Artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies are increasingly influencing how we learn, work and communicate. Our learners must therefore be prepared not simply to use these technologies, but to engage with them critically, responsibly and ethically. AI can assist learners to understand difficult concepts, generate practice questions and explore subjects in new ways. But technology cannot replace the fundamental work of learning.
Critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving and independent thought remain essential. Learners must also understand that academic integrity and examination rules remain non-negotiable.
The objective must be to develop young people who can use technology as a tool while retaining the knowledge, judgement and capabilities required to navigate an increasingly complex world.
Matric is a milestone, not the destination
As learners prepare for their examinations, we also want them to begin looking beyond the examination room.
There is no single definition of success after matric.
For some, the next step will be a university or university of technology. For others, it may be a TVET college, Community Education and Training college, occupational qualification, apprenticeship or learnership. Others may enter the workplace, pursue entrepreneurship or continue developing their skills through different forms of education and training.
What matters is that young people understand the pathways available to them and make informed choices that take account of their abilities, interests and aspirations.
Government has established mechanisms to broaden access to these opportunities. Eligible students pursuing studies at public universities and TVET colleges can access financial assistance through the National Student Financial Aid Scheme, subject to the applicable requirements.
Young people can also access employment, training, learnership and work-experience opportunities through initiatives such as the Presidential Youth Employment Intervention and SAYouth.mobi. Learners and families should begin exploring these opportunities early, understand the requirements and ensure that applications are submitted within the relevant timelines.
Building skills for South Africa’s future
Education must ultimately equip young people not only to obtain qualifications, but to develop the knowledge, skills and capabilities required to participate meaningfully in society and the economy.
As South Africa confronts unemployment, skills shortages and rapid changes in the world of work, strengthening the connection between schooling, further education and training, and economic opportunity has become increasingly important.
This is central to the Department of Basic Education’s work to strengthen and diversify learning pathways through the Three Stream Model, which recognises Academic, Technical Vocational and Technical Occupational pathways within the basic education system.
The Three Stream Model recognises that learners have different strengths, interests and aspirations, and that our education system must provide meaningful opportunities for those differences to flourish. While the academic pathway remains important, learners must increasingly have access to technical, vocational and occupational learning that develops practical competencies and provides stronger pathways into further education and training, the skilled trades, entrepreneurship and the world of work.
This means exposing young people to a wider range of learning and career possibilities, including science, technology, engineering and mathematics; information and communications technology; agriculture; healthcare; infrastructure and construction; technical occupations and the skilled trades.
Importantly, these pathways should not be understood as competing with one another or as representing different levels of ambition. They form part of a more differentiated education system that seeks to give learners meaningful choices and ensure that different talents and capabilities can be developed. The task before us is therefore bigger than preparing learners to pass an examination.
It is about building an education system that helps young people discover what they are good at, develops those capabilities and connects learning more deliberately with opportunities beyond school. A different route is not a lesser route. A setback is not the end of a young person’s ambitions. And a single examination result can never define the totality of a learner’s potential.
Success after matric can be achieved through different pathways. Our responsibility as an education system is to ensure that young people have strong foundations and are equipped with the knowledge, skills and confidence to pursue those pathways.
To the Class of 2026
The final examinations are now within sight.
You have travelled a long road to reach this point. You have been taught, challenged and supported by educators who have invested in your development. Your families and communities have walked this journey alongside you.
Now is the time to remain focused.
Prepare consistently. Use the support available to you. Look after your health and wellbeing. Ask for help when you need it. Believe in the work you have already put in and approach each examination with discipline and confidence.
Most importantly, remember that you do not walk this journey alone.
Across the country, teachers, parents, officials and communities are standing behind the Class of 2026.
These examinations matter, but they are not simply about the marks that will appear on a results statement. They are about opening doors, building capabilities and preparing a generation of young South Africans to take their place in the future of our country.
To the Class of 2026: stay focused, remain courageous and finish strong. South Africa is behind you.
Terence Khala – Basic Education Acting Spokesperson
