KwaZulu-Natal Education MEC Sipho Hlomuka visited Estcourt High School yesterday (August 25) to officially mark the 50-day countdown to the start of the 2026 National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams.

Matric learners, teachers and school principals from schools in the Inkosi Langalibalele municipal area joined the gathering, which formed part of the province’s preparations for the upcoming matric exams.

MEC Hlomuka urges matrics to stay focused as exams approach

Hlomuka said the event marked the provincial launch of the 50-day countdown, following the department’s launch of the 100-day countdown in the uMzinyathi District.

“We are here to motivate all learners in KZN who are doing matric. Teachers have done their duty; now it is their time to do the job,” said Hlomuka.

He called on parents to continue supporting learners, and urged matriculants to remain focused and committed to their studies as the examinations draw closer. “We call on all parents to support learners. We also want learners to continue to study and focus,” he said.

Hlomuka said the department was not only aiming for learners to obtain matric certificates, but wanted more learners to achieve Bachelor’s-level passes, which would give them access to a wider range of opportunities for further education.

The first 2026 NSC examinations are scheduled to begin on October 13.

Department targets another top spot

The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education is also hoping to retain its position as the leading province in the country in terms of matric results. The ‘Class of 2025’ achieved a pass rate of 90.60%, placing KwaZulu-Natal at the top, nationally.

Hlomuka acknowledged that the uThukela District had recorded a lower position compared with other districts in the province. However, he noted that its 86.2% matric pass rate remained higher than the results achieved by some other provinces.

Estcourt High School thanks the department for choosing their school

The MEC encouraged learners in the district to work hard and improve on the previous performance.

Estcourt High School acting principal Ms Tshezi expressed her appreciation to the Department of Education for selecting the school to host the provincial 50-day countdown event.

The countdown comes as schools across KwaZulu-Natal intensify preparations for the final examinations, with learners, teachers and parents being urged to work together to ensure strong results in the 2026 NSC examinations.

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