North West Department of Education Ready for Preliminary Examinations

The North West Department of Education is ready to commence the 2025 preliminary examinations which are scheduled to start on Monday, 25 August 2025.

A total of 43,719 candidates across the Province will sit for the exams. This includes 41, 924 full-time candidates and 1,795 part-time candidates who will begin with a three-hour Information Technology paper in the morning, followed by Home Language Paper 1 in the afternoon.

The Department has made extensive preparations to support learners ahead of the exams. During the recent winter camps, significant efforts were invested in bridging content gaps and providing targeted academic support to ensure candidates are well-prepared for this crucial stage of their examinations.
MEC for Education in the North West Province, Viola Motsumi, conveys her well-wishes to the candidates.

“We have full confidence in our candidates as they take this important step towards their preliminary exams. We urge them to approach the exam room with focus and determination, knowing that their hard work and commitment will yield positive results that will lead us toward the 95 per cent pass mark we set for year-end.

“We also call on parents, guardians and communities to create a supportive environment for candidates to refrain from any activities that may disrupt examinations”, says Motsumi.

The Department emphasises that communities play a vital role in ensuring a smooth examination process by being accommodating and supportive of learners throughout this period. We welcome communities to report any incidents that may threaten the smooth flow of exams.
The preliminary examinations will run for five weeks, concluding on Thursday, 25 September 2025.