Media Release
Minister of Education Donald Grant
Western Cape

23 January, 2012

Last minute rush to apply for the 2011/12 supplementary examinations

Statement by Minister Donald Grant, Minister of Education, Western Cape

Tomorrow is the last day in which candidates who have qualified to write the 2011/2012 supplementary examinations can apply.

A total of 5 850 candidates have qualified for the supplementary exams and have until 16h00, 24 January 2012, to register.

Postal applications dated before the 25th of January will also be accepted.

Based on previous experience, the department expects large crowds today and tomorrow as candidates rush to meet tomorrow's deadline (Tuesday, 24 January). Increased numbers already started arriving at the department's Walk-in Centre this morning (Monday).

The department has appointed queue-walkers to keep the queue moving as quickly as possible. The officials guide candidates wanting to register for the supplementary exams to a separate venue where another team of officials is waiting to help them.

The Department has already processed 3 200 applications and are currently capturing hundreds more.

Candidates qualify to write supplementary exams if they have failed a maximum of up to two subjects (They do not qualify if they failed more than two subjects), or if they missed an exam because they were sick or medically unfit during the examination period. They can apply to write the relevant supplementary exams, if they provide a medical certificate and supporting documents.

The Supplementary Examinations will be written in February and March.

Those who have successfully registered can also take advantage of the WCED's tuition programme that will be on offer from 7 February 2012 till 8 March 2012.

The free tuition programme will assist learners to pass their supplementary examinations and includes broadcasting revision lessons via satellite to 145 schools across the province using the province's Telematics system.

The WCED and Stellenbosch University set up the system originally to provide extra tuition for matric candidates in the Western Cape.

Expert teachers will provide quality lessons via satellite to candidates who have registered to write the supplementary exams. The revision lessons will cover seven core subjects - namely Mathematics, Physical Sciences, Accounting, Geography, Life Sciences, English FAL and Afrikaans HL.

Candidates who wish to register for these lessons can do so by contacting any of the 145 schools offering the programme. Candidates who arrive unregistered on the day will also be welcomed. However, candidates are encouraged to register in advance for planning purposes.

Candidates can obtain further details on the tuition programme on the WCED website.

We encourage as many of our candidates who register to write the supplementary examinations to take advantage of the tuition opportunities available to them. It is a great revision exercise and allows them to address some of their weaknesses in the previous exam.

For enquiries, contact Bronagh Casey:  072 724 1422 or brcasey@pgwc.gov.za.


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