In October 2023, thousands of Grade 12 learners began their final school exams. The National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams commenced on 30 October 2023. The examination period then concluded in the first week of December 2023.
Matric Results Release Date
The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has revealed that learners will receive their matric results on Friday, 19 January 2024. However, a lot of work is done between the time when learners put down their pens for the final time and receive their results.
Thousands of examination scripts must be marked and these marks must be captured. Examinations bodies will then have to approve results and may even suggest changes before learners receive their results in January 2024.
IEB matric results will be released a day earlier on 18 January.
Here’s The Matric Exam Release Schedule
Matric Exams Marks Capture
Thousands of markers are employed by the DBE to mark learners' examination scripts. The education department anticipates that all exam scripts will be marked and marks will be recorded by 23 December 2023.
National Examinations Irregularities Committee (NEIC) Meeting
In the first week of January 2024, the National Examinations Irregularities Committee (NEIC) meeting will take place.
The NEIC supports the Provincial Education Departments (PEDs) to ensure that the credibility of the matric exams is maintained and also coordinates the handling of irregularities on a national level to ensure that a consistent approach is implemented in the handling of all irregularities. The NEIC meeting is set to take place on 1/2 January 2023.
Pre-Standardisation Meeting
The DBE hosted its Pre-Standardisation Meeting on 3 or 4 January 2024. The internal meeting is done in preparation for the standardisation meeting with an assessment body. In South Africa, the assessment body is Umalusi.
Umalusi Standardisation
The standardisation meeting commenced on 5 January 2024. The purpose of standardisation is to ensure candidates are not advantaged or disadvantaged by factors other than their knowledge of the subject; abilities and aptitude; and achieve comparability and consistency of results from one examination cycle to the next.
Often, challenges experienced by learners and teachers will be taken into consideration along with other factors that may have impacted the grade 12 examination results. The information gathered in this meeting is carefully considered and where the stakeholders see fit, marks obtained by learners will be adjusted.
Umalusi Approval Of Results
Umalusi is then announced the approval of the 2023 NSC exams on 12 January 2024.
Ministerial Announcement
On 18 January 2024, DBE Minister Angie Motshekga will announce the outcome of the 2023 NSC exams. During the ministerial announcement, the minister will reveal the pass rate of South Africa’s nine provinces and statistics about the matric passes achieved by learners.
Learners Receive Their Matric Results
Matric candidates who participated in the 2023 NSC exams will receive their results on Friday, 19 January 2024.
Where Will The Matric Results Be Available?
Your School or Exam Centre
The first and most obvious place to get your exam results will be your school or the exam centre where you wrote your matric exams. This can also be good as you will receive your results with your friends and classmates.
Online on the DBE Website
The Department of Basic Education will have all the exam results - including results for each subject - available on their website.
Here are the steps that you will need to take:
Step 1: Visit the Department of Basic Education website
Step 2: Enter your examination number
Step 3: Fill in your personal details
Step 4: Click on “Search”
Step 5: Your Matric results will be displayed
Other sources for your Matric results.
Newspapers still publish exam results as they have done for many years. They do not publish learners' names so you will need to know your exam number to get your results. The newspaper groups will also make the exam results available online on their websites.
What Are The Matric Pass Requirements?
Higher certificate pass requirements
- Must obtain at least 40% for your Home Language,
- Must obtain at least 40% for two other subjects,
- Must obtain at least 30% for four other subjects.
- Must past at least 6 out of 7 subjects.
Diploma pass requirements
- Must obtain at least 40% for your Home Language,
- Must obtain at least 40% for three other subjects excluding Life Orientation,
- Must obtain at least 30% for the Language of Learning and Teaching (LOLT) of the tertiary institution (Higher Education Institution),
- Must pass at least 6 out of 7 subjects.
This will qualify you to study for a diploma at a TVET college or University of Technology.
Bachelors Degree pass requirements
- Must obtain at least 40% for your Home Language (compulsory),
- Must obtain at least 50% for four other subjects excluding Life Orientation,
- Must obtain at least 30% for Language of Learning and Teaching (LOLT) of the tertiary (Higher Eduction) institution,
- Must obtain at least 30% for one other subject,
- Must pass at least 6 out of 7 subjects.
A Bachelor’s pass qualifies you to study towards a degree at a university, university of technology, TVET college or any accredited Higher Learning Institution.
Grade Level system explained:
- Level 7: 80–100% (Outstanding achievement)
- Level 6: 70–79% (Meritorious achievement)
- Level 5: 60–69% (Substantial achievement)
- Level 4: 50–59% (Moderate achievement)
- Level 3: 40–49% (Adequate achievement)
- Level 2: 30–39% (Elementary achievement)
- Level 1: 0–29% (Not achieved: Fail)
These subjects are compulsory.
- Home Language
- First Additional Language
- Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy
- Life Orientation
- Either English or Afrikaans as one of your languages
What Is A Matric Recheck
Asking to have your matric script rechecked means that your paper will be thoroughly reviewed so that they can confirm that all questions have been properly marked and that the marks have been accurately calculated.
What Is A Matric Remark?
If candidates feel as if their assigned marks do not align with their actual performance on the written papers, they can request a re-mark of their scripts. This entails a complete re-evaluation of the original answer script by a different marker.
How to apply for a matric remark/recheck
Application forms can be obtained from the centre where the exam was written. This application can also be done online by following these steps:
- Visit The Government’s Official e-Services Portal
- Click on the education icon, which displays a graduation cap
- Select the Basic Education Option. This will cause several options to appear.
- Select Re-Mark/Recheck
- Fill out all the required fields in the online application and ensure all the information provided is correct.
- Once satisfied that all the information is correct, accept the terms and conditions by checking the designated box (√).
