South Africa News: A record 962,832 candidates began South Africa’s matric exams on 13 October 2026, and the papers run until 26 November. With private tutoring costing up to R750 an hour, free help from non-profits, a school AI tutor and a telecom foundation is filling gaps the state cannot close alone.
Key facts
- 962,832 candidates are registered for the 2026 National Senior Certificate (NSC): 815,051 full-time and 147,781 part-time.
- Full-time entries rose by 48,508 on last year, according to the Department of Basic Education.
- About 7,100 exam centres and 189 marking centres are in use, with 51,104 markers recruited.
- Olico Maths Education, a non-profit founded in 2008, runs a free WhatsApp maths tutor for grades 7 to 12.
- The Vodacom Foundation opened a new “School of Excellence” in Braamfischerville, Soweto, with more than R1 million invested.
How big are the 2026 matric exams?
Bigger than ever. Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube told a media briefing on 11 October that “learners are ready for the 2026 NSC Exams”, and asked families to “give them the space and support they need”. Her department’s figures, published by the government news agency SAnews, show the full-time cohort growing by almost 50,000 in a single year.
The state has also widened its own catch-up work. The Learner Support Programme reaches 159,180 learners at 1,262 centres across all 75 districts, while the Second Chance Matric Programme offers evening and weekend classes at 41 centres for candidates repeating subjects.
Provinces will be judged on Bachelor passes, distinctions, learner retention and results in “gateway” subjects such as Mathematics, Physical Sciences, Accounting and Economics, Gwarube said.
Where does charity step in?
Mathematics is the sore point. Andrew Barrett, executive director and co-founder of Olico Maths Education, told Daily Maverick that many learners arrive “many, many years behind where they should be mathematically”. Olico started with after-school programmes in Diepsloot, Alexandra and Khayelitsha. Today about 2,500 high-school learners attend its tutoring centres and 4,500 primary pupils join its maths clubs, while partner groups run more than 1,800 clubs reaching roughly 28,000 children.
The results are striking. Close to 60% of Olico learners over the past decade scored at least 50% in pure Mathematics, against a national average of about 7% for learners in quintile 1 to 3 schools, the poorest public schools. Its WhatsApp bot lets a learner photograph a problem and an attempt, then walks them through the steps.
Other free tools exist too. Siyavula offers digital textbooks and adaptive practice in Mathematics and Physical Sciences, and its site is zero-rated on MTN and Cell C, so practice costs no mobile data. A Johannesburg school’s “Saving Grace AI Tutor” is free for Grade 12 learners; its technology head, Charles Mukembe, said it supports teachers rather than replacing them.
Corporate money in Soweto
On the infrastructure side, the Vodacom Foundation and the Gauteng Department of Education launched the Schools of Excellence model at Nkone Maroping primary school, which serves about 1,200 learners. Vodacom put more than R1 million into the school and over R800,000 into the nearby Asha Braamfischer pre-school, and its fibre unit is connecting learners’ homes as well. “That link between the school and learners’ homes matters,” said Sitho Mdlalose, Vodacom South Africa’s chief executive.
The programme, running since 2019, now counts more than 39 schools, 39 early-childhood centres and 10 youth academies serving over 30,000 learners nationwide.
| Initiative | Type | Reach |
|---|---|---|
| Learner Support Programme (DBE) | Public | 159,180 learners, 1,262 centres |
| Olico Maths Education | Non-profit | ~28,000 learners via partner clubs |
| Vodacom Schools of Excellence | Corporate foundation | 30,000+ learners |
Why this matters beyond South Africa
South Africa holds a seat at the BRICS table, and India’s 2026 presidency has put skills and education cooperation on the agenda. Our view: the matric model, a single national exam backed by a patchwork of free community support, is a test case other emerging economies are watching. Free, phone-based maths help that costs no data is cheap to copy. The evidence from Olico suggests it works. For more education coverage, see our Education section and our South Africa page.
FAQ
When do the 2026 South Africa matric exams end?
The National Senior Certificate exams run from 13 October to 26 November 2026, according to the Department of Basic Education.
How many candidates are writing matric in 2026?
A record 962,832: 815,051 full-time and 147,781 part-time candidates.
Is there free maths help for matric learners?
Yes. Olico’s WhatsApp tutor and Siyavula’s zero-rated practice platform are free, and the state runs the Learner Support and Second Chance programmes.
Sources: SAnews; Daily Maverick; IOL; TechAfrica News.
