Tuesday, 13 October 2026:- The South African Communist Party (SACP) expresses its best wishes to the 2026 National Senior Certificate Class of 2026 as they begin their matric examinations, a milestone in shaping our nation’s future. The matric examinations, where a record 962,832 candidates are registered nationwide, officially begin on Tuesday, 13 October, and conclude on 26 November.

We pay homage to our dedicated teachers and workers within the education sector for their tireless commitment and call upon the Department of Basic Education to continue supporting workers and learners throughout the examinations.

The SACP calls upon learners, educators, parents and guardians, along with the broader society to come together and build an education system that uplifts every learner.

As learners take their examinations, they hope to perform so well and access higher education. Accordingly, we call upon institutions of higher learning to begin preparations in earnest to accept those learners who will qualify. In furtherance of the right to learn, we also call upon the leadership of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme to stand ready to process funding for learners and to prioritise not only university students but also those who will be accepted at Technical and Vocational Education and Training colleges.

To our learners, we remind them, paraphrasing Karl Marx when he referred to the road to science, that there is no royal road to success, and only those who do not dread the fatiguing climb of its steep paths have a chance of gaining its luminous summits. Likewise, as the Roman poet Horace said over two thousand years ago, life gives nothing to mortals without hard labour!