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Durban — Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga says the department is fully prepared to administer the 2022 exams which commence on Monday and run up until December 7.
Motshekga said they were ready based on the principles of fairness, reliability, validity and integrity.
Matric candidates will be writing their first paper on Monday, English home language paper 1, for two hours, and other language papers in the afternoon session. The MEC of the department in KwaZulu-Natal, Mbali Frazer, with deputy Minister Dr Reginah Mhaule, will monitor the start of the exams at Ogwini Comprehensive High School in Umlazi on Monday.
Motshekga, Mhaule, Director-General Mathanzima Mweli and other managers in the department have been traversing the country to monitor schools. Motshekga said based on their findings it was clear that they had a huge challenge on their hands. They had to deal with reported cases where some schools denied learners the right to sit for the National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams because they were pregnant.
Motshekga warned schools against refusing pregnant pupils to sit for their exams. She said the National Policy on the Prevention and Management of Learner Pregnancy states that barring a learner from school on the grounds of pregnancy is discriminatory. Motshekga said in terms of the policy, schools are required to take all necessary steps to reasonably accommodate the learner to facilitate her continuing education.
“A learner who is pregnant shall be allowed to sit for national examinations if her health condition permits. The school principal and staff in collaboration with parents and guardians shall take all reasonable steps to accommodate the learner’s health and maternal needs during the examination period,” Motshekga said.
The policy came into effect in January 2022.
Motshekga expects all schools to comply with and implement it accordingly. Motshekga added that the department has stepped up its security across all points in the exam paper chain, based on a continuous review of all examination processes.
In addition, all pupils sitting for the NSC examinations and their parents have signed a “Commitment Agreement” to maintain honesty and not to participate in irregularities during the writing of the exams. The agreement binds the learners and parents to follow the rules relating to the exams. In line with this agreement, learners and parents are obliged to make any irregularity immediately known to the school principal or the DBE hotline. Motshekga added that pupils are expected to surrender cellphones and any other related device if there is an allegation of involvement in an act of dishonesty.
Motshekga said the pupils are briefed on all the rules and regulations pertaining to the exams and on the consequences, should they be implicated in irregularities.
Daily News