Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga is expected to release the 2022 matric results on Thursday. Education quality assurance body Umalusi approved the release of the results during a briefing on Tuesday.
Just over 1 million candidates wrote their examinations in November and some are anxious as they wait for their results.
Educational Psychologist Dr Tshepiso Matentjie says during this period teenagers tend to be overwhelmed by different emotions.
“You have already mentioned one, the key one being anxiety, that sense of fear because whatever is happening is out of their hands, they don’t have control. I think a lot of parents, if they are able to tap into their own experience, the memory of what they went through in matric, they can actually relate. So, I think the key thing that I want parents to recognise is, pay attention to how the anxiety and fear shows up on your child. Perhaps you might have the wrong impression about how those emotions show up.“
Matentjie says parents need to be on the lookout for a change in behavioural patterns as a result of the anxiety.
“For example you might notice that your teenager is acting up, maybe they are moody, they are pulling away from the family, and they are not sitting down with everybody. You might notice that they are eating a lot or sleeping or sleeping a lot or they want to go out, they are restless, not wanting to sit down.”
In the audio below, Dr Matenjie explains some of the emotions the teenagers will be going through:
