The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has indicated that shifting the release date of the National Senior Certificate (NSC) results forward is a complex challenge due to multiple factors.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted education, matric results were typically released in early January. However, the ongoing impact of the pandemic on teaching and learning has necessitated a later release date, currently in the third week of January.
DBE Director-General, Mathanzima Mweli, highlights South Africa's limited instructional days compared to other countries. The World Bank has labeled this as a "learning poverty" crisis.
The NSC results were released earlier when the number of subjects offered in basic schooling was half what we are contending with, now, at 68.
Mweli emphasizes the need for more teaching time, which directly affects exam scheduling and accreditation processes for traditional and online schools.
Additionally, the increasing number of subjects offered to learners adds to the workload of accreditation bodies like Umalusi, further impacting the results release timeline.
The standardisation of the NSC results (a Umalusi function) has therefore become a lot more extensive now, because of quality considerations. For that reason, Umalusi says any compression of time in this context encroaches on quality issues, and the reliability and integrity of matric results.
Impact on Students and Institutions
The delayed release of matric results has significant consequences for universities, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges, and students. Universities South Africa (USAf) points out that the delayed results disrupt the academic calendar, hindering student registration and access to financial aid.
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) relies on NSC results to allocate bursaries. Delayed results create uncertainty and frustration among students, often leading to protests and campus disruptions.
Furthermore, medical schools, which typically commence in early January, are particularly affected by late results as it prevents timely student registration.
Furthermore, Medical Schools start at the beginning of January. The late release of results hardly aids these schools’ processes.
Orientation programs, crucial for new students' adjustment to university life, are also impacted by the delayed release. The compressed academic year resulting from late results can increase student anxiety and mental health challenges due to heightened exam pressure.
Some universities have had to shorten their examination period, previously 21 days, to 15, with immense pressure on students, not to mention other university systems and operations.
2024 Matric Results Release Date
The Department of Basic Education has confirmed that the 2024 matric exams will begin on October 21, 2024, and conclude in late November. The official announcement of the exam results will be made by Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube on 15 January 2025, with the final results released on 16 January 2025.
