The Department of Basic Education (DBE) is encouraging National Senior Certificate (NSC) candidates who were unsuccessful in their examinations to take advantage of the official Second Chance Programme.
The programme is provided free of charge to candidates.
The Second Chance Matric Programme aims to provide support to learners who have not been able to meet NSC or extended Senior Certificate (SC) requirements.
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube recently assured the Class of 2025 that failing the NSC examinations does not mark the end of their journey, emphasising that multiple support mechanisms and alternative pathways remain available.
“To every learner who did not get the result you hoped for: you are not a failure, and your story is not over. There are pathways to improve your results – through rewrites, support programmes and second-chance opportunities. What matters now is that you take the next step, with support, and without shame,” Gwarube said.
Structured support
The Second Chance Matric Programme provides structured academic and psychosocial support to learners who wish to rewrite subjects or complete outstanding requirements.
The programme assists candidates in meeting the requirements of either the NSC or SC, enabling them to obtain a recognised Grade 12 qualification.
Support is offered through face-to-face classes at centres across the country, as well as online learning platforms, television lessons and radio broadcasts, ensuring access for learners in different circumstances.
Learners who qualify for the programme may rewrite through the following examination opportunities:
- NSC supplementary examinations in March.
- NSC progressed learner examinations in June, for candidates who previously did not sit for all six subjects.
- Part-time NSC examinations in November, for learners who attempted the NSC after 2015.
The DBE reiterated that the Second Chance Matric Programme is provided free of charge, warning learners and parents to be cautious of private or commercial services that charge fees whilst claiming affiliation with the programme.
“For authentic information, please contact the Department of Basic Education directly or visit the official website,” the DBE said.
Targeted subjects include Accounting, Agricultural Science, Business Studies, Economics, English First Additional Language, Geography, History, Mathematics, Mathematical Literacy, Physical Sciences and Life Sciences.
Registration for the May/June 2026 examination is currently open and will close on Friday 6 February for both SC and NSC candidates.
Re-mark or re-check
The DBE also provides an online service for NSC candidates to request a re-mark or re-check of examination scripts.
To request a re-mark or re-check service, candidates must first register on the e-Gov portal at eservices.gov.za to create a personal account. This account will allow candidates to log in using their password and username to access the service.
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“Registration can be done at either the school or district office in the province or online,” the DBE said.
The closing date is set for 27 January for both manual and online applications.
The fee for a re-mark is R120 per subject and re-checking is R30 per subject. Script viewing may only be done after a re-mark or re-check of results. The closing date for applications is seven days after the release of re-mark or re-check results. The fee for viewing is R230.
Re-marking results will be released from 13 March and will be available at the school or exam centre where candidates sat for their 2025 examinations.
Contact details
For verified information and registration details, learners are advised to contact the DBE directly or visit its official platforms. Learners can use the following contacts:
- Email: SecondChance@dbe.gov.za
- SMS/Calls: 063 696 7246 (enquiries)
- WozaMatrics WhatsApp: 061 505 3023 (subject-related queries)
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