Matrics: Here is your May-June exam timetable
Here's what matric pupils will be writing—and when...
With just under two weeks left until matric pupils sit down to write their May-June National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations, here is what they will be writing.
The matric June exams will start on 12 May and will conclude on 25 June for the NSC pupils. For the Independent Examinations Board (IEB) students, exams will commence on 5 May and continue until 27 May 2025.
NSC exam schedule
The first exam the pupils will be writing is foreign languages in the morning, followed by English in the afternoon on Monday, 12 May.
Other languages will be written on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, for both sessions.
Pupils will wrap up the week on a strong note with Mathematics in the second session on Friday, 16 May.'
According to the NSC timetable, pupils will have a break on 2 June in observance of a religious holiday.
Here is the full NSC final exam timetable:
2025 NSC Examination by oratile on Scribd
ALSO READ: Pupils get special school holidays this month – here's how to keep them safe
IEB exam schedule
The IEB students will start with Information Technology Paper 1 in the first session and Life Sciences Paper 1 in the afternoon.
On Tuesday, the group will write Music Paper 1, Computer Applications Technology Paper 1 and History Paper 1 in the morning session, followed by Music Paper 2 in the afternoon.
Finally, the IEB exams will conclude Information Technology Paper 2 on 27 May.
Here is the full IEB final exam timetable:
2025 IEB NSC Examination by oratile on Scribd
How to deal with exam stress
As preparations for the exam season tend to be stressful, clinical psychologist Evelyn Nagel gave tips on how matrics can cope with the stress.
Here are some tips that can help you cope with stress:
Switch off your devices.
Try not to watch TV immediately after studying, as this will interfere with the work you studied, and you will lose the information you learned.
Hydration, exercise and a well-balanced diet are healthy for your brain to function optimally.
Laugh, play, and have some fun, which you schedule as a reward.
Before the exam, don't discuss the work with friends, as this increases anxiety. Just be positive and confident in what you have learned.
After the exam is done, don't have a post-mortem; it will affect the next exam, and this will not benefit you.
Focus on some self-care before preparing for the next exam.
Consult with teachers and tutors to clarify the challenging work.
Use past papers and set yourself mock exams to test your knowledge before the exam.
Approach the exam with a positive attitude. You have written many exams before this one.
Always start your paper with questions you feel comfortable with, and time yourself per question.
Have a schedule consisting of three-hour sessions with 10 to 15-minute breaks every hour, and at the end of three hours, take a power nap.
Limit caffeine.
Manage expectations.
Exercise regularly.
Ask for help and accept support.
Leave the stress in the exam hall.
Be kind to yourself.
NOW READ: Higher education minister apologises for late Nsfas payments, addresses appeals
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Daily Maverick
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- Daily Maverick
SA children say they really like to read, despite dismal reading test results
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The first level, named 'emerging', is where learners are just beginning to develop the skills required for grade 3-level reading. The next level up, known as 'evolving', is where learners are beginning to construct and adapt what they have learnt. The third level, called 'enhancing', is where learners demonstrate that they actually have the required skills, are able to apply those skills and show they are moving towards independent learning. At the highest, 'extending' level, learners show an advanced understanding of the knowledge and skills required, apply their knowledge in creative ways and can learn independently. Learners need to have 'enhancing'-level skills to meet the requirements of Grade 3. Only one in five of the Grade 3s who took part achieved that level. Mother tongue Seventy-five percent of the Grade 3s in South Africa's public schools are taught in their home language, according to the Department of Basic Education. 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They show that due to translations, the isiZulu and English texts used in Pirls aren't equivalent, resulting in a harder test for the isiZulu schools compared with the English schools. Language of instruction If you look in more detail at the data on the language of instruction at schools, about a third of South Africa's Grade 3s are actually taught in English, even though English is the home language of fewer than 10% of them. Not surprisingly, 98% of the Grade 3s whose home language is English are taught in English at school; 92% of Afrikaans-speaking children are taught in Afrikaans. The picture is different for African language speakers. Children whose home language is isiNdebele are the least likely to be taught in their home language at 50%, according to DBE data. Sesotho speakers fare marginally better at 52%. 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The Citizen
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Matrics: Here is your May-June exam timetable
Here's what matric pupils will be writing—and when... With just under two weeks left until matric pupils sit down to write their May-June National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations, here is what they will be writing. The matric June exams will start on 12 May and will conclude on 25 June for the NSC pupils. For the Independent Examinations Board (IEB) students, exams will commence on 5 May and continue until 27 May 2025. NSC exam schedule The first exam the pupils will be writing is foreign languages in the morning, followed by English in the afternoon on Monday, 12 May. Other languages will be written on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, for both sessions. Pupils will wrap up the week on a strong note with Mathematics in the second session on Friday, 16 May.' According to the NSC timetable, pupils will have a break on 2 June in observance of a religious holiday. Here is the full NSC final exam timetable: 2025 NSC Examination by oratile on Scribd ALSO READ: Pupils get special school holidays this month – here's how to keep them safe IEB exam schedule The IEB students will start with Information Technology Paper 1 in the first session and Life Sciences Paper 1 in the afternoon. On Tuesday, the group will write Music Paper 1, Computer Applications Technology Paper 1 and History Paper 1 in the morning session, followed by Music Paper 2 in the afternoon. Finally, the IEB exams will conclude Information Technology Paper 2 on 27 May. Here is the full IEB final exam timetable: 2025 IEB NSC Examination by oratile on Scribd How to deal with exam stress As preparations for the exam season tend to be stressful, clinical psychologist Evelyn Nagel gave tips on how matrics can cope with the stress. Here are some tips that can help you cope with stress: Switch off your devices. Try not to watch TV immediately after studying, as this will interfere with the work you studied, and you will lose the information you learned. Hydration, exercise and a well-balanced diet are healthy for your brain to function optimally. Laugh, play, and have some fun, which you schedule as a reward. Before the exam, don't discuss the work with friends, as this increases anxiety. Just be positive and confident in what you have learned. After the exam is done, don't have a post-mortem; it will affect the next exam, and this will not benefit you. Focus on some self-care before preparing for the next exam. Consult with teachers and tutors to clarify the challenging work. Use past papers and set yourself mock exams to test your knowledge before the exam. Approach the exam with a positive attitude. You have written many exams before this one. Always start your paper with questions you feel comfortable with, and time yourself per question. Have a schedule consisting of three-hour sessions with 10 to 15-minute breaks every hour, and at the end of three hours, take a power nap. Limit caffeine. Manage expectations. Exercise regularly. Ask for help and accept support. Leave the stress in the exam hall. Be kind to yourself. NOW READ: Higher education minister apologises for late Nsfas payments, addresses appeals
