(The following debate was delivered during a Sitting of the KZN Legislature held today)
The report on the monitoring of the 2025 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations indicates a system that is largely functional, credible and resilient – yet requires deliberate strengthening if it is to meet the full weight of its constitutional mandate.
The Democratic Alliance (DA), as a constructive partner within KwaZulu-Natal’s (KZN’s) Government of Provincial Unity (GPU), engages with this report in the spirit of measured accountability and cooperative governance. Our task is not to diminish what works, but to ensure that what works is sustained, deepened, and made equitable across every district of our province.
The evidence before KZN’s Education portfolio committee confirms that the core architecture of the examination system remains intact. Across uMgungundlovu, uMkhanyakude, and uThukela, we see;
• A consistent application of security protocols, including biometric access, controlled strong rooms, and coordinated engagement with law enforcement
• Structured risk profiling of centres, enabling differentiated oversight based on vulnerability
• Standardised training of invigilators and monitors and credible systems of script control and verification that safeguard the integrity of the examination process.
These are not minor administrative details – they are the very foundations upon which public confidence in the NSC rests. And on that basis, we can say with confidence that the system is working.
But it is working because of the people within it. It is working because of the learner who writes under pressure and uncertainty, the educator who prepares and supports against difficult odds, and the School Management Teams who hold institutions together in communities that are often under-resourced. The legitimacy of the NSC is built at that level. It does not originate in head offices, nor can it be sustained by policy alone.
At the same time, a careful reading of the report makes clear that there are areas where the system must be strengthened, particularly in the administrative and support functions that underpin teaching and learning.
Delays in the procurement and delivery of Learner Teacher Support Material (LTSM) stand out as a matter requiring serious attention. The report notes that the invocation of Section 18(2)(g) of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) constrained the Department of Education (DoE’s) ability to execute its procurement plan, resulting in a significant delay in delivery timelines.
It is important that we approach this matter with clarity and balance. Section 18(2)(g) is not an arbitrary obstacle; it is a fiscal safeguard, triggered when there are underlying financial management concerns. It exists to protect the integrity of public finances. At the same time, its consequences are real and felt most acutely at school level.
What this points to is not a need for blame-shifting, but for improved alignment between financial governance and service delivery. The DoE must strengthen its internal planning, procurement systems, and compliance mechanisms so that interventions of this nature do not disrupt the delivery of essential resources to schools. Equally, there must be ongoing, constructive engagement with Treasury to ensure that fiscal controls do not inadvertently undermine educational outcomes.
The DA believes that this can be achieved through practical reforms;
• Expanding responsible autonomy to capable schools for procurement
• Strengthening real-time tracking systems for LTSM delivery and;
• Ensuring that accountability mechanisms are consistently applied where timelines are not met.
These are not punitive measures – they are necessary instruments of a system that seeks to function efficiently and fairly.
The report also demonstrates encouraging progress in the management of examination irregularities. The structured use of School, District, and Provincial Irregularities Committees, alongside improved training and monitoring, reflects a maturing system that is learning from past challenges. The interventions implemented in response to prior incidents, such as strengthened oversight in identified high-risk centres, indicate a willingness to act where required.
These are developments that must be supported and consolidated. Examination integrity is not a static achievement; it requires continuous vigilance, adaptation, and investment.
In this regard, it is appropriate to acknowledge the broader reform trajectory at national level under Education Minister, Siviwe Gwarube. Efforts to standardise assessment practices, enhance data integrity, and modernise examination systems provide an important policy framework within which provinces must operate. KZN should position itself not only as a participant in these reforms, but as a leader in their implementation.
It is also necessary to engage responsibly with the ongoing public discourse around the NSC pass rate. Commentary from figures such as Mmusi Maimane has raised concerns about the interpretation of pass rates. While scrutiny is both legitimate and necessary in a democracy, it is equally important that such discussions are grounded in a proper understanding of how the system operates.
The pass rate is not an arbitrary or inflated measure. It reflects defined standards of subject completion and competency. It is one indicator among several, and while it should not be the sole measure of success, it remains an important reflection of learner achievement within the system.
Where the DA agrees is that we must move beyond a singular focus on pass rates. We must consider throughput rates, the quality of passes – particularly in gateway subjects – and the extent to which learners are prepared for post-school opportunities. This is how we ensure that no learner is marginalised within the system, and that success is both meaningful and sustainable.
The central message of this report is not one of crisis, nor is it one of complacency. It is one of a system that is functioning, but which requires careful stewardship and continuous improvement.
As members of the GPU, we carry a shared responsibility to maintain this balance – to support what works, to address what does not, and to do so in a manner that is collaborative, evidence-based, and focused on outcomes. If we are to strengthen this system, we must ensure that administrative efficiency matches the dedication of our educators, that financial governance supports rather than constrains delivery, and that accountability is applied consistently across all levels of the department.
Above all, we must remain focused on our learners. Because at the heart of this debate is not a report, nor a process, nor a statistic – it is the future of every young person in KZN who depends on us to get this right.