{"id":293,"date":"2026-01-30T18:40:47","date_gmt":"2026-01-30T18:40:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bursariesafrica.co.za\/universities\/?p=293"},"modified":"2026-09-18T02:22:48","modified_gmt":"2026-09-18T02:22:48","slug":"old-matric-syllabus-can-you-still-rewrite","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bursariesafrica.co.za\/universities\/old-matric-syllabus-can-you-still-rewrite\/","title":{"rendered":"Old Matric Syllabus: Can You Still Rewrite in 2027?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Many learners ask whether they can still rewrite Matric if they studied under an old syllabus or if the syllabus has changed.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In South Africa, the National Senior Certificate (NSC) has been based on the most recent curriculum since 2008.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Anyone rewriting matric in 2027 must follow the current NSC curriculum when sitting <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bursariesafrica.co.za\/universities\/matric-results-how-to-combine-two-certificates\/\">official exams<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Is the Old Matric Syllabus?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The old matric syllabus generally refers to the curriculum that existed before 2008, before the National Curriculum Statement (NCS) was implemented.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That curriculum was phased out and replaced with the current NSC structure, meaning learners no longer write under that pre\u20112008 syllabus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because the old syllabus has been replaced, you cannot sit official South African NSC exams under the old curriculum in 2027.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All candidates must write exams that follow the current NSC syllabus set by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and quality assured by Umalusi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can You Still Rewrite Matric in 2027?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes. You can still rewrite your matric subjects in 2027, but you must rewrite under the current NSC syllabus.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Department of Basic Education\u2019s Second Chance Matric Programme allows learners to register to improve subject results or complete outstanding subjects without repeating the entire year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This applies whether you are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A candidate who did not pass all subjects in their original Matric exam.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A candidate who passed but wants higher marks for university access or employment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>An adult seeking to complete or improve their results through rewrites or the Senior Certificate (Amended) route.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Does the Current Syllabus Affect You?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Because the old syllabus is no longer recognised, any rewrite you register for in 2027 uses the NSC curriculum.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Exams will be based on the skills, content and assessment standards set in the current curriculum.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The questions, content and marking guidelines reflect modern educational standards and requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If your original Matric was written many years ago under an older system, you may need to study the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.education.gov.za\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.education.gov.za\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">current NSC syllabus<\/a> material before you sit the rewrite exams.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Study materials, past papers and preparation resources are aligned with the current syllabus, so familiarising yourself with the newer curriculum is essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Prepare for a 2027 Rewrite Under the Current Syllabus<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>To prepare for a 2027 matric rewrite:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Check the official subject syllabus for the subjects you want to rewrite.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use DBE\u2011aligned study guides and past exam papers based on the current NSC curriculum.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Enrol in support programmes such as the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.education.gov.za\/Programmes\/SecondChanceProgramme.aspx\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.education.gov.za\/Programmes\/SecondChanceProgramme.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Second Chance Matric Programme<\/a> or private tuition if you need help learning the current content.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Register before the official closing date with the DBE or your provincial education office.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Who Registers for a Rewrite in 2027?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>NSC candidates under 21 who want to improve their results or complete subjects.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Adult learners (21 or older) who register for the Senior Certificate (Amended) route, which also uses the current curriculum but provides flexibility in subject choice.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Happens If You Registered Under the Old System?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you originally sat Matric before 2008 or under an older syllabus and have old results, those old marks do not translate directly into the current curriculum.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You must rewrite under the NSC syllabus, and your final certificate will reflect the current curriculum outcomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is There Any Exception for the Old Syllabus?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>No. Official South African examinations no longer recognise the old pre\u20112008 syllabus.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All certificates and examinations from 2008 onwards use the NSC curriculum, and all 2027 rewrites follow this standard.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">FAQs<\/h3>\n\n\n<div id=\"rank-math-faq\" class=\"rank-math-block\">\n<div class=\"rank-math-list \">\n<div id=\"faq-question-1769797604132\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">1. Can I rewrite matric in 2027 under the old syllabus?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>No. All 2027 rewrites follow the current National Senior Certificate syllabus. The old syllabus was phased out in 2008.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1769797609824\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">2. What syllabus will my 2027 exams use?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>Your 2027 matric rewrite will be based on the current NSC curriculum set by the Department of Basic Education and quality-assured by Umalusi.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1769797611316\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">3. Do I need to study new syllabus content before rewriting?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>Yes. If your previous study was based on older material, you should revise according to the current NSC syllabus.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1769797614898\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">4. Can adults rewrite matric in 2027?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>Yes. Adults 21 or older can rewrite through the Senior Certificate (Amended) or similar adult programmes under the current curriculum.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1769797617827\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">5. How do I register to rewrite matric in 2027?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>You register with the Department of Basic Education or through your provincial education district office before the official deadline.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1769797625816\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">6. Is there support available to study for the new syllabus?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>Yes. The Second Chance Matric Programme provides study support, revision materials and classes.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1769797627310\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">7. Does the rewrite count towards my final certificate?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>Yes. Your rewrite results under the current syllabus count towards your NSC qualification if you meet the pass requirements.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1769797630276\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">8. Can I choose which subjects to rewrite?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>Yes. You can select specific subjects to rewrite as part of your registration.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1769797632770\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">9. Are the 2027 rewrite exams the same as regular matric exams?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>Yes. Rewrite exams follow the same format and curriculum as regular NSC exams.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1769797635908\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">10. What do I do if I don\u2019t pass the new syllabus exams?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>You can repeat the rewrite process or explore adult matric or further education options.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Many learners ask whether they can still rewrite Matric if they studied under an old syllabus or if the syllabus [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":273,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"_ba_keyfacts":"","_ba_provider_contact":"","_ba_provider_name":"","_ba_provider_type":"","_ba_provider_cat":"","_ba_writer":"pieter-van-der-merwe","_ba_reviewer":"naledi-khumalo","iawp_total_views":105,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-293","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bursariesafrica.co.za\/universities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/293","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bursariesafrica.co.za\/universities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bursariesafrica.co.za\/universities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bursariesafrica.co.za\/universities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bursariesafrica.co.za\/universities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=293"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.bursariesafrica.co.za\/universities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/293\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":747,"href":"https:\/\/www.bursariesafrica.co.za\/universities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/293\/revisions\/747"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bursariesafrica.co.za\/universities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/273"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bursariesafrica.co.za\/universities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=293"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bursariesafrica.co.za\/universities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=293"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bursariesafrica.co.za\/universities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=293"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}