Race Against Time as Zimbabwean Matric Pupils Return to South Africa

JOHANNESBURG — Zimbabwean Grade 12 learners who left South Africa amid heightened anti-immigrant tensions are now being brought back to write their 2026 National Senior Certificate examinations, as efforts intensify to ensure their education is not derailed by the migration crisis.

The Zimbabwe Exemption Permit Coordinating Committee (ZEPCC) Academy has called on affected learners to come forward as arrangements are made for their return, accommodation, and examination preparation in Johannesburg.

The intervention comes only weeks before the October matric examinations, leaving displaced learners with limited time to return, settle in and resume preparations for what could be the most consequential examinations of their school careers.

South African education activist Hendrick Makaneta has welcomed the arrangements, describing the initiative as an important and humane development.

In a statement on September 17, Makaneta said the return of the learners was a significant step towards ensuring they are able to complete their schooling.

“We therefore commend the efforts that have made it possible for these learners to return and access their examinations. We also encourage all relevant authorities, schools, examination officials and other stakeholders to continue working together to ensure that the arrangements are practical and sensitive to the needs of the affected learners,” said Makaneta.

He said immigration and documentation matters were important and had to be dealt with through lawful and orderly processes.

“However, such processes should never lose sight of the human beings at their centre, particularly children and young people whose education and future are at stake.

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“We wish all affected learners strength and success as they prepare for their examinations. Their determination deserves our respect and support,” added Makaneta.

Thousands of children caught up in the crisis

The return of the matric learners comes against the backdrop of a much wider movement of Zimbabwean families from South Africa back to Zimbabwe.

Reports indicate that at least 35,000 children returned to Zimbabwe with their parents between May and September amid heightened anti-migrant tensions and uncertainty affecting Zimbabwean families living in South Africa.

The figure, however, represents children generally and should not be interpreted as the number of Grade 12 learners caught up in the situation.

The exact number of matric candidates requiring assistance to return to South Africa has not been publicly confirmed.

Earlier figures from Zimbabwe’s repatriation process illustrate the scale of the movement.

By July 2, Zimbabwean authorities had reported 58,768 returnees in total, comprising 11,065 people assisted by the government and 47,703 who returned independently.

A separate report by Zimbabwe’s Herald recorded 35,403 Zimbabweans who had returned independently through Beitbridge between May 28 and June 27, alongside 4,795 people who were assisted by the government during that period.

Matric learners face a critical disruption

For Grade 12 learners, the disruption comes at a particularly sensitive stage of their education.

Many have spent their entire secondary-school careers following South Africa’s Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS). A prolonged stay in Zimbabwe at this stage could therefore disrupt their preparation for the South African matric examinations.

The ZEPCC says affected learners include those who returned to Zimbabwe, those who remained in South Africa but failed to register for the examinations, learners who deregistered, and some who missed June rewrite examinations.

The committee has also raised concerns about learners who experienced bullying and intimidation at schools.

To support the affected pupils, the committee has arranged for them to be housed at a boarding facility in Johannesburg, where they can prepare for and write their examinations.

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But several practical questions remain unanswered.

These include how many learners will ultimately be accommodated, who will finance their transport from Zimbabwe, and how their accommodation, meals and other basic needs will be covered.

The number of candidates expected to return from Zimbabwe also remains unclear.

Education caught between borders

The immediate effort to bring the learners back to South Africa raises a broader question about what happens when children’s education is disrupted by circumstances beyond their control.

For the affected Grade 12 learners, the journey back to South Africa is about far more than crossing a border.

It is an attempt to recover lost preparation time, reconnect with teachers and schools, secure examination arrangements and complete a qualification that could influence their access to further education and employment.

Makaneta’s call for authorities and other stakeholders to work together highlights the urgency of ensuring that administrative and immigration processes do not overshadow the educational needs of the learners.

With the October examinations approaching, every day is significant.

The ZEPCC is urging affected Grade 12 learners to identify themselves and make contact so that arrangements can be made for their return and accommodation.