Mkhumbane high school learners sit for their English first paper at Mkhumbane high school on Monday. Picture: Tumi Pakkies/African News Agency(ANA)
EThekwini Municipality Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda has vowed to work with the Department of Education to ensure uninterrupted provision of basic services at exam centres in the city.
Grade 12 pupils started their matric exams on Monday when they sat for English paper 1.
Kaunda wished the class of 2022 all the best.
He said the city would work with the provincial department of education to ensure that basic services are available in all examination centres in eThekwini to avert disruptions.
“As the leadership of the city, we are proud of the class of 2022 as it has shown great resilience. This is the class that has witnessed disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the July 2021 civil unrest and the April and May floods. We are confident that these learners will do us proud as they have been able to reach their matric exams against many odds,” said Kaunda.
He also called on parents, learners and teachers to continue to work with the Department of Education to make the 2022 matric exams a success.
“As part of our contribution to education, eThekwini Municipality will be providing funding for tertiary education to financially needy students. Our Student Relief Fund will assist students from poor backgrounds who performed well in matric with registration fees or help settle their outstanding fees. We will also provide bursaries to students who will be pursuing their studies in fields whose skills are scarce in the country such as Engineering, Architecture, Quantity Surveying and Applied Chemistry,” said Kaunda.
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) also wished the matrics well, saying that these exams marked the beginning of their journey of life into adulthood.
“Education remains the backbone in the development of our country and a major practical weapon in addressing the social inequalities, unemployment and the elimination of poverty,” it said.
“These results are important in preparing these matriculants for a working career. It is important and necessary that these final exams are used to prepare a foundation that will allow them to pursue skills that are needed by the economy. Too many graduates are left unemployed simply because they lack the skills that the labour market requires,” said Cosatu national spokesperson Sizwe Pamla.
Education