Pretoria: The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has urged National Senior Certificate (NSC) candidates, who were not successful in their initial exam attempts, to take advantage of the Second Chance Programme, which is offered at no cost. This initiative allows eligible individuals to register for rewriting or adding subjects without any financial obligation, aligning with the department’s policies for the May/June examination cycle.

According to South African Government News Agency, the department has clarified that it does not support any private or commercial services that charge fees for participation in the Second Chance Programme. The DBE emphasized the importance of obtaining authentic information directly from the department or by visiting the official website. This programme aims to aid learners in meeting the requirements of the NSC or the extended Senior Certificate, thereby contributing to the goals outlined in the National Development Plan and the basic education sector’s objectives to improve learner retention. Additionally, learners gain exposure to bursary opportunities for further education.

The candidates supported by the programme include those registered to write the Senior Certificate examinations in June, as well as NSC examinations part-time candidates who have attempted the NSC exams since 2008 and are scheduled to write in May/June and November. The programme targets a range of subjects, including Accounting, Agricultural Science, Business Studies, Economics, English First Additional Language, Geography, History, Mathematics, Mathematics Literacy, Physical Sciences, and Life Sciences.

The DBE has announced that the 2025 Matric Results will be released on 12 January 2026. This year, more than 900,000 candidates participated in the 2025 exams across 7,000 centres, supported by thousands of invigilators and over 51,000 markers and moderators.