The Department of Basic Education has implemented strict oversight measures at examination centres deemed high-risk as the 2025 National Senior Certificate examinations begin with over 900 000 candidates.
Public examination centres that have experienced repeated irregularities will have external invigilators permanently stationed on site to ensure examination integrity.
According to the department, these high-risk centres, whether public or independent schools, will have invigilators deployed from outside the school, district, or province.
The measure forms part of a broader risk categorisation system that determines how invigilators and security resources are distributed across the country.
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube emphasised that this oversight is essential.
“Integrity is not just a negotiation, it is the cornerstone of the NSC certificate and of course the public trust in our education system,” she stated on Monday.
Hotspot schools identified and categorised
Gwarube confirmed that each of the 6,955 examination centres nationwide has been categorised according to risk levels.
She said a third of these centres have been audited. The categorisation process ensures that centres with histories of irregularities receive appropriate security measures and personnel.
“This year we have 6 376 public schools and 579 independent schools that will serve as official examination centers,” Gwarube stated.
Each examination centre has been assigned risk designations that guide deployment decisions.
High-risk centres receive permanent external invigilators to maintain oversight throughout the examination period, preventing irregularities that have plagued previous years.
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Invigilator training and accountability
The examinations will be supported by over 40 000 trained invigilators across all examination centres.
These officials have been trained in examination procedures and compliance requirements.
“These examinations will be supported by over 185 marketing centres, more than 40 000 trained markers and invigilators, moderators and data capturers, all appointed with strict compliance with personnel administrative measures,” said Gwarube.
However, examination administrators acknowledged that some invigilators still present challenges.
“Unfortunately, some of our invigilators still let us down in terms of not complying with simple rules like marking a learner absent when the learner is present in the classroom.”
Despite these challenges, the department maintains checks and balances throughout the examination administration process. Monitoring occurs at national, provincial, and district levels, with additional outside monitoring.
Irregularities and preventative measures
Irregularities remain a significant concern. Officials acknowledged that preventing misconduct during examinations is critical. “Irregularities is a word we don’t want to hear during this period,” the department said.
Gwarube said the department has established a National Examination Hotline. She said the hotline “will operate 24/7 to report any suspicious activity”.
She said this proactive approach aims to catch irregularities before they compromise examination integrity.
Contingency planning for disruptions
Each province has developed contingency plans to address potential disruptions, including load shedding, severe weather, and protest action.
“Alternative venues and generator capacity have been arranged where needed.
“Communication lines between provinces and the Department of Basic Education remain open throughout the examination period,” said Gwarube.
The department expressed particular concern about using examination periods for community protests.
“Let’s not use exams to protest and try and further community agendas. Rather, let’s look at the broader goal of getting our pupils to write in the most conducive environment.”
Provincial administrators confirmed their readiness and commitment to preventing irregularities.
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Registration verification and candidate data
All candidate data has been uploaded, verified by schools, and audited by district education departments.
Subject changes were finalised early in the year. The department emphasised that accurate registration data is fundamental: “If your registration data is right, all your subsequent processing will also unfold as per plan.”
Registration audits have ensured that the more than 900,000 candidates are properly documented and assigned to appropriate examination centres.
The department restated that of these, 766 000 are full-time candidates who have completed twelve or thirteen years of schooling, and 137 000 are part-time candidates.
Broader examination readiness
Despite the focus on high-risk centres and irregularity prevention, the department confirmed that examination systems are prepared across the board.
“We can confirm that the system is fully ready to administer the 2025 NSC exam at the highest possible standard,” examination officials affirmed.
Gwarube said the 2025 throughput rate for the class of 2025 stands at 64.6%. The class has performed comparably to and in some cases outperformed previous cohorts, despite facing Covid-19 disruptions during their early high school years.
Gwarube further stated that the class “embodies resilience,” with their “journey one of recovery and renewal and relentless effort.”
Exam results will be released on January 13th, 2026.
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