By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube says the matric examinations have been success, despite a number of challenges.
Gwarube and her deputy, Makgabo Mhaule, updated media on the matric exams that conclude on Thursday, 28 November 2024.
She commended the teachers, officials, parents and all stakeholders for ensuring smooth and credible matric examinations.
“Your dedication and hard work have been instrumental in ensuring a smooth and credible examination process. Together, we are building an education system that upholds the values of fairness, integrity, and excellence,” Gwarube said.
She said stringent monitoring ensured a fair process, with high-risk examination centres closely supervised, with a minimum of 70% of centres monitored during each session.
“This robust system helped us maintain the integrity of the exams, even in the face of external disruptions,” Gwarube said.
Challenges included protest actions in some parts of the country, including Jan Kempdorp, Gert Sibande, and Limpopo, as well as inclement weather in the Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga, which disrupted the exams for several learners.
A total of 319 learners in Eastern Cape were unable to write due to flooding. However, the Minister assured contingency plans were in place to allow the learners to rewrite their exams.
Gwarube implored learners to exercise restraint, emphasising that the celebration of their achievements should not come at the cost of their safety.
“Practice restraint so that you may be there to accept your results and continue with the rest of your life.”
Although the NSC examination writing phase is concluding, Gwarube reminded all involved that the process is far from over.
She highlighted the critical tasks of marking, standardising, and processing the results, underscoring the importance of maintaining focus and dedication to ensure the integrity of the outcomes.
“There is still much work to be done before we reach the finish line. Let us keep our shoulders to the wheel, strengthen our resolve, and deliver an examination process that will make this country proud.”
The final NSC results will be released on 13 January 2025.