/ MEDIA STATEMENT / The content on this page is not written by Polity.org.za, but is supplied by third parties. This content does not constitute news reporting by Polity.org.za.

The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education, Ms Joy Maimela, wishes the class of 2024, which is set to officially commence their National Senior Certificate (NSC) on Monday, the greatest of success for the upcoming final exams.
 
A total of 72 7121 full-time candidates and 15 5215 part-time candidates are registered for the examinations, which begin on Monday with Grade 12 learners writing English. A total of 6 334 public and 575 independent schools will double as exam centres.
 
Ms Maimela said the committee received a preliminary briefing last month on learner and system readiness for the examinations. The committee is expected to receive an updated status report on the examinations on Tuesday. “We received a preliminary report and both the DBE (Department of Basic Education) and Umalusi (the Council for Quality Assurance in General and Further Education and Training) indicated that acceptable progress was made with the preparations to the system and getting learners ready for the upcoming matric examinations.”
 
At the time of the preliminary report briefing, the committee heard that 162 question papers for the 2024 October/November examinations have been approved by Umalusi and are being handed over to provincial education departments (PEDs) for printing in three consignments. All quality assurance processes relating to question papers have been completed.
 
Question papers have been adapted for learners who experience barriers to learning, including deaf, Braille and other needs. The DBE procured question papers for non-official languages and other special subjects from the Independent Examinations Board and these are ready for release to the PEDs for printing. The committee further heard this is the seventh cohort that will sit for South African Sign Language Home Language (SASL HL) examinations. A total of 23 schools in nine provinces have candidates for the 2024 examination and 210 candidates have been registered for SASL HL, compared to 134 candidates in 2023.
 
Ms Maimela called on everyone in the education sector to be supportive of candidates during this time. “It is a very strenuous time in their academic life. A culmination of 12 years of schooling leading to one final examination. We therefore call on parents, family, friends, educators, officials and the community at large to help create the best conditions and environment for these learners to study.”
 
She emphasised: “The emotional and mental wellbeing of all learners should be paramount during this stressful period. Please keep a watchful eye over them to ensure they are in a good place. I want to also wish teachers, invigilators and markers the best of luck with the task ahead and to once again ensure a credible NSC examinations.”

Issued by the Parliamentary Communication Services on behalf of the Chairperson of the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education, Joy Maimela