Phuti Mosomane
On Monday Grade 12 exams went off to a smooth and a great start as the pupils sat for their first English paper in all provinces after Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga had said the department had enhanced security measures to prevent paper leaks in all nine provinces.
Briefing media in Tshwane ahead of the 2023 matric exams, Motshekga said the State Security Agency has also audited all security enhancement processes.
“Provincial Education Departments (PEDs) must follow standard operating procedures training storage point managers in security protocols. Moreover, specific collection times for question papers by chief invigilators have been established to deter early access. Each PED has its own irregularity committee to anticipate and mitigate the crisis,” she said.
South Africa also returns to Stage 2 load shedding after weeks of uninterrupted power supply and to mitigate the challenge of the energy crisis, Motshekga said all PEDs and schools have devised contingency plans, including backup generators.
Motshekga said that the Computer Applications Technology (CAT) and Information Technology (IT) Paper 1 examinations were conducted last week without power issues, with isolated incidents, adding that the affected candidates were isolated and managed.
The department will offer a backup paper if needed due to power interruptions, she said.
In South African Sign Language Home Language (SASL HL), candidates’ laptops will be fully charged before each examination commences, and backup power supply measures have been implemented.
Over a million matric candidates in both private and public schools registered for the final examinations across 6,898 centres nationwide.
Motshekga said the figures are not mere statistics; they embody the aspirations, dreams, and relentless efforts of our Grade 12 learners.
“They stand as a testament to the resilience of our students and the continuous dedication of the Department of Basic Education in providing them with a platform to succeed.”
“When we compare this year’s figures to 2022, we observe a gradual decrease in the number of candidates, 34,626 candidates, and this could be attributed to the fact that more candidates complete their qualifications on time,” she said.
There has been an increase in part-time learners from 168 631 in 2022 to 181 143 in 2023 (an increase of 12 512).
A total of 207 question papers, 72 500 invigilators and 52 500 markers will drive the examination process.
The quality assurance body Umalusi has approved all question papers to be administered in the 2023 Examinations and given the nod to the exams.
Motshekga monitored the first day of the matric examinations in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng, on Monday.
Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane joined her.
In the Northern Cape, Education MEC Zolile Monakali and Acting Head of the Department Gideon Oliphant monitored the start of the 2023 National Senior Certificate Examinations at Tetlanyo High School in Kimberley.
The Deputy Minister of Basic Education, Dr Regina Mhaule along with KwaZulu-Natal Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube, as well KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Education Mbali Frazer monitored the 2023 National Senior Certificate Examinations on Monday in Umlazi District.
The matric class of 2023 wrote English P1 at 09h00 which is their first sitting for the 2023 NSC Examinations.
Frazer took the opportunity to encourage candidates and gave them advice on how they could tackle the examinations: “You’ve worked very hard throughout the year, these exams should not scare you because you are well prepared. Just relax, take your time,read and understand the questions before you answer,” said Frazer.
She expressed her satisfaction about the smooth start of the examinations in the entire province of KwaZulu-Natal.
All examination centres did not report any problems or disruptions during the start of exams. Premier Dube-Ncube said the KZN Department of Education did everything to ensure that there was an educator in every classroom during the 2023 academic year.
Mhaule expressed her satisfaction with all the efforts made by the KZN Department of Education to help the schools that did not perform well during the 2022 NSC Exams.
“I chose to come to KZN because because this is a big province for us as the Department of Education. I am here to support MEC Frazer in the good work she is doing together with the officials of the Department,” said Mhaule.
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