More than 720,000 registered candidates will sit down for their matric exams on Monday. The number is 200,000 learners less than the class of 2022. The examinations will start on the 30th of October and until the 6th of December 2023.

The South African Democratic Teachers' Union (SADTU) said that the National Senior Certificate examinations are of utmost importance as they mark the end of basic education schooling and open doors to post-school education. The union said these examinations serve to benchmark the mettle of the country's education system. The organisation's spokesperson Nomusa Cembi said that the twelve-year journey of the 2023 Class has not been smooth. "We urge provincial departments of education and schools to tighten security measures in order to prevent leaks of exam papers as this may compromise the credibility of these examinations and complicate the lives of learners. It is critical that the learners try to resist those who use their examinations for profit making by selling papers to them. They must report such individuals to law enforcement authorities and their principals when approached," said Cembi.

Cembi said grade 12 lost months of schooling in 2020 and 2021 while they were in Grades 9 and 10 due to lockdown regulations ,which were set up to mitigate against the spread of the Covid 19 pandemic. Cembi said they commend their teachers and learners for putting their shoulders on the wheel to cover the ground lost due to the lockdown. "To our learners and teachers who spend sleepless nights and sacrifice their weekends and holidays, Sadtu wishes you success and has faith in you. Sadtu appreciates that you have travelled this 12 years' journey, and nothing should stop you because the journey is a great milestone in itself," she said. She added that they are looking forward to an examination period that has no hitches. "We are fully aware of load shedding and they, therefore, implore Eskom to consider the examination timetable when scheduling load shedding, particularly on the subjects requiring learners to be using electricity," she said.

Last week, Umalusi CEO Dr. Mafu Rakometsi said, during a press briefing, that measures have been put in place to mitigate load shedding during exams. He said they were satisfied with the arrangements made by the Department of Basic Education to procure generators and to engage with Eskom. Rakometsi also said that they have advised all assessment bodies to make alternative arrangements for the supply of power during the examinations. He also warned learners who would attempt to cheat during exams. "Umalusi would like to issue a stern warning to all learners to refrain from all forms of cheating including group copying, where teachers are sometimes implicated."