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Matric exams standards will still remain high: Basic Education

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The Department of Basic Education has announced that the 2020 matric exams will maintain the same high standards as seen in previous years.

Despite the impact of COVID-19, over a million learners prepare to sit for the 2020 matric examinations starting on Thursday.

Basic Education minister spokesperson Hope Mokgatlhe says they have doubled their efforts to ensure that the class of 2020 are fully prepared.

“It has to be so, because we don’t want the class of 2020 to be labelled as a COVID-19 class. We don’t want to disadvantage the class of 2020, so that when they move on to higher learning institutions, they are labelled as those learners who didn’t have time to finish. Besides the matric exam papers are done two years before,” says Mokgatlhe.

COVID-19 disruptions to the academic year

South Africa’s schooling system has been greatly disrupted due to the effects of the lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Basic Department has grappled with multiple issues, including finding ways to help learners to catch up to this year’s curriculum and integrating learners back into schools under strict social distancing adherence and other COVID-19 protocols.

Of great concern is also the high number of matric learners who have dropped out of this school this year.

In August, the Department told Parliament that its projections are that over 52 000 learners in Grade 7 and over 23 000 matriculants would not return to class.

In September, about 18% of all Gauteng learners, from grades 1 to matric did not go back to school.

However, others have opted for home schooling.

In the video below, SABC News reflects on how COVID-19 has impacted the matric class of 2020:

 

Advice to matric learners ahead of exams

Meanwhile, education focused partnership the Kagiso Shanduka Trust (KST) has advised learners writing their matric exams to ensure they have study schedules, eat proper meals and lightly exercise between study sessions.

KST Manager Pumeza Tena says those writing exams require extra support from their community members.

“They must not be too hard on themselves. They need to try not to cram. Try and give yourself a reasonable study schedule and try and eat well and exercise well. Do join a study group because sometimes they can help you to have a fresh perspective on things. Communities have been great, especially during this time of the pandemic and they have been helping them study so that they relax and take time to concentrate on their Grade 12 exams,” says Tena.

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