More than 920,000 candidates from private and public schools around the country sat down this morning to write the first paper of the National Senior Certificate (NSC). Department of Education says it has enhanced security measures to avoid cheating and exam paper leaks. Minister Angie Motshekga says they have allocated a specific time for question papers to be collected by chief invigilators to avoid early access.

Basic Education Minister alongside Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane conducted an oversight visit at Rhodesfield Engineering School of Specialisation with a focus on Aviation in Kempton Park today, to monitor the start of the 2023 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations. The Minister and the MEC encouraged learners to perform at their very best ahead of their first exam of the season. "You're almost there, this is the last mile. All you need to do is continue what you've been doing, continue to study and take the extra lessons until the last day. Yes it seems difficult but it's not, we know that it seems impossible until its done but your future is really bright after matric," said MEC Chiloane. He told the learners that this was an opportunity to make themselves proud, their parents and the whole of Gauteng. "We want all of you to pass, no one must fail," he concluded.

In 2022, the was an incident where teachers allegedly sent learners answers to a WhatsApp group. The department launched an investigation into cheating in Mpumalanga and has since put measures in place to limit access to matric papers. "Provincial education departments have to follow the operating standard procedures on storage points and follow all the security protocols. Moreover, the specific collection time of question papers by chief invigilators have been established to deter early access to the paper," said Minister Motshekga.