Umalusi Enforces Strict Standards for Online NSC Providers Amid Policy Gap

Among the key stipulations, Umalusi has made it clear that all NSC examinations must be written in person at registered examination centres within South Africa.

In a bid to uphold the integrity of South Africa’s National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations, the country’s education quality assurance body, Umalusi, has set out a firm list of requirements for online and distance learning institutions offering the NSC qualification.

Speaking at a media briefing in Pretoria on Wednesday, Umalusi Chief Executive Officer, Dr Mafu Rakometsi, said that the exponential growth of online schools has created both opportunities and regulatory challenges within South Africa’s education system. While virtual learning is reshaping access to education, the absence of a formal policy framework to regulate online schools has raised concerns about quality assurance and exam credibility.

“There is currently no regulatory framework for online education,” Rakometsi stated. “We have also communicated that the Department of Basic Education (DBE) has been working on interim measures for the purpose of regulating online schools. Regrettably, not much progress has been made in this regard.”

Filling the Regulatory Vacuum

Umalusi, in collaboration with the Department of Basic Education (DBE), the Independent Examinations Board (IEB), and the South African Comprehensive Assessment Institute (SACAI), has developed a set of non-negotiable conditions to ensure consistency, fairness, and integrity in the delivery of the NSC through online and distance education.

These interim requirements are designed to protect learners, maintain the credibility of the national qualification, and prevent malpractice in an evolving digital education space. The conditions are also a response to the surge in unregulated online learning providers that have mushroomed in recent years, offering NSC-aligned programmes without proper oversight.

Core Requirements for Compliance

Among the key stipulations, Umalusi has made it clear that all NSC examinations must be written in person at registered examination centres within South Africa. The move ensures that assessments remain secure, verifiable, and conducted under controlled conditions, thereby eliminating risks associated with online examination fraud.

Assessment bodies such as IEB and SACAI must:

• Register only credible and compliant education providers that deliver the National Curriculum Statement (NCS) for Grades 10 to 12.

• Confirm that learners registered for Grade 12 have successfully completed Grades 10 and 11 under accredited programmes.

• Verify and moderate all School-Based Assessment (SBA) marks to ensure authenticity and fairness.

• Take full accountability for all examination centres under their jurisdiction.

These measures are aimed at strengthening the quality assurance chain from teaching and learning to final certification.

Protecting the Integrity of the NSC

Dr Rakometsi emphasised that the NSC remains a “high-stakes qualification” that must meet the highest standards of credibility, irrespective of the mode of learning. “While technology continues to transform the education landscape, quality and fairness must remain uncompromised,” he said.

He noted that Umalusi has observed a worrying trend in which some unregistered online schools mislead parents and learners with promises of quick or alternative routes to NSC certification. The new conditions are therefore a protective measure to ensure that learners receive education from legitimate and accountable institutions.

Collaboration and Oversight

To strengthen oversight, Umalusi will continue working with the DBE and private assessment bodies to monitor compliance and enforce standards. Rakometsi said that the department must now accelerate the development of an official regulatory framework that clearly defines how online schools can be registered and accredited.

“We urge the DBE to speedily finalise the guidelines so that, as a system, we are able to establish the national requirements for the registration of online schools by Provincial Education Departments, and to indicate the requirements to be met for online schools to be accredited by Umalusi,” he said.

The Need for Balanced Innovation

Experts in the education sector have welcomed Umalusi’s stance, noting that while digital learning platforms have expanded access—particularly for rural and home-based learners—there remains a critical need for regulatory alignment. Without it, disparities in quality, assessment integrity, and learner outcomes could deepen.

The department’s forthcoming framework is expected to outline criteria for online school registration, minimum infrastructure requirements, educator qualifications, data protection protocols, and learner support systems.

Until such measures are formalised, Umalusi’s conditions serve as the benchmark for credibility in the online education space. They also signal the regulator’s readiness to adapt to technological changes while upholding South Africa’s long-standing commitment to quality and fairness in education.