Nearly 900,000 Grade 12 learners who sat for the 2025 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations are anxiously awaiting the release of their results. The Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube, is scheduled to officially announce the overall examination outcomes on the evening of 12 January 2026.

Following the minister’s announcement, individual results will become available to candidates from the morning of 13 January 2026. Learners will be able to access their results through several channels, including collecting them at their respective schools or examination centres, using SMS or USSD services, or checking the Department of Basic Education (DBE) website, which will publish results from 6:00 am on the release day. The DBE has also confirmed that NSC results will be made available to accredited newspapers for publication on the same date.

In line with a court ruling issued on 18 January 2022, results published in newspapers will continue to appear in a pseudonymised format. As has become standard practice in recent years, only examination numbers and corresponding marks will be displayed, with no names, surnames, or identity numbers included. This approach ensures the protection of learners’ personal information while allowing results to remain accessible through traditional print media.

For candidates requiring additional support, a comprehensive guide will be provided alongside the results. This guide will cover key information such as pass requirements, procedures for re-marking and re-checking, details on rewrite opportunities, and alternative pathways available to learners based on their results.