There have been several media reports of parents paying for a “matric” through private or online providers, only to discover later that the certificate was not legally recognised. To avoid this costly mistake, parents should take the following steps.

1. Check that the provider is registered with an accredited assessment body

According to the Regulations Pertaining to the National Senior Certificate (NSC), a distance-education provider may only offer NSC (matric) services if it is registered with an assessment body accredited by Umalusi. For home education, the only two relevant assessment bodies are:

• IEB – Independent Examinations Board
• SACAI – South African Comprehensive Assessment Institute

If a provider is not listed by one of these assessment bodies, they cannot legally issue or facilitate an NSC.

You can verify your provider here:

SACAI registered distance-education providers: https://www.sacai.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/sacai-distance-education-provider-29062025.pdf

IEB online schools (select “Online schools” under Country): https://www.ieb.co.za/schools/ieb-high-schools

2. Ensure they provide SBA from Grade 10–12

The NSC is a three-year qualification. This means the provider must offer legitimate School-Based Assessment (SBA) from Grade 10, 11, and 12. If a provider only offers Grade 12 or promises “matric in one year”, this is a major red flag—because without valid SBA for all three years, no NSC certificate can be issued.

Summary

To ensure your child’s matric is legitimate:

✔ Check that the provider is listed by IEB or SACAI.

✔ Confirm that they provide Grade 10–12 SBA.

✔ Be cautious of shortcuts or “matric in one year” claims.

Doing these checks upfront can save families from financial loss and disappointment later.

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