KZN Education launches mental health project for matric candidates

The KwaZulu-Natal Education Department has launched a pilot project to provide mental health support to the 302 000 full-time matric candidates in the province , who will start writing their final exams on Tuesday.

Briefing the media in Durban on preparations for the finals, MEC Sipho Hlomuka said he’s pleased with the four percent increase in full-time candidates which indicates less learners are dropping out of school before grade 12.

Hlomuka says everything is ready to print 32 million individual exam papers, to store them securely and distribute them to over 1 700 exam centres across the province.

Hlomuka had this message for the matrics of 2026.

“We wish to remind you to believe in yourself, believe in the work that we have done and support you have received from our teachers and parents and communities.

The key to success in this assessment phase is to approach every examination with discipline, confidence and determination.

Read every question carefully, manage your time.

The biggest enemy that seeks to undermine your preparation is anxiety.” The head of the KwaZulu-Natal Education Department Nkosinathi Ngcobo says there are positive signs that the class of 2026 will equal last year’s record pass rate of 90 percent.

“If we go back to the first and second terms and we compare our performance with the first and second terms of 2025, I think we are on track to not decrease from the percentage we got last year.

We might actually improve.”