Tight security as 900,000+ candidates sit for 2025 matric exams

Gwarube

Cape Town – More than 900,000 candidates are set to write the 2025 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations starting Tuesday, with the Department of Basic Education (DBE) assuring the public that stringent security measures are in place to safeguard the process.

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube said during a media briefing in Skukuza, Mpumalanga, that the exams will be administered “without incident” across all nine provinces.

This year’s cohort includes 766,000 full-time and 137,000 part-time candidates — the highest total since 1996.

To prevent paper leaks and malpractice, the DBE has intensified its security protocols. All trucks transporting exam papers are GPS-tracked, with every stage of distribution monitored in real time.

Printing and storage sites are secured, alarmed, and access-controlled, and officials with Grade 12 learners are barred from handling live papers.

“No national examination is without risk,” Gwarube said, “but potential risks have been anticipated and mitigated.”

In Mpumalanga, provincial authorities are adding another layer of control. Education MEC Lindi Masina said learners will be scanned for cellphones and other electronic devices before entering exam rooms to prevent cheating.

The exams mark a major logistical operation for the DBE, with provinces declaring full readiness to deliver a secure and incident-free matric season.

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Compiled by Betha Madhomu

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