Media Release
Minister of Education Donald Grant
Western Cape

27 August, 2013

Matric September Exams: Candidates also responsible for their own results

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

In the next week, thousands of Grade 12 learners will sit down to write their 2013 "September examinations" in the Western Cape.

The September examinations are extremely important for our learners and are an essential litmus test for candidates ahead of the National Senior Certificate examinations.

59 695 candidates have registered for the 2013 NSC.

48 877 are full-time candidates and 10 818 are part-time candidates. (Please note that these are "preliminary" results and they are not final as we are currently double-checking registration and subject data.)

The NSC examinations are scheduled to begin in 61 days' time.

I should like to wish all our Grade 12 learners the best of luck in the September examinations but remind them that they are also responsible for their own results through hard work and preparation.

Once completed, the WCED will, together with their schools, examine the results carefully to determine which schools need support during the final stages of the Matric school year.

Learners will also be required to examine their results so they can determine which areas they need to concentrate on during the last two months before the NSC.

The WCED has made a number of resources available for candidates to use during this period.

The WCED has a resource page (http://wcedonline.pgwc.gov.za/documents/Matric2013/index.html) which makes available to candidates self-study guides, past examination papers and tips on how to prepare and plan ones' study time.

The WCED is very excited about a new resource that will be made available to all candidates this year.

The Department will soon be launching a matric support resource which will include YouTube recordings from our telematics programme in key subjects such as mathematics and physical science.

The new resource page is planned to go live ahead of the September school holidays and will act as an additional study tool during this period.

The WCED is also finalising plans for its Spring School Programme.

Administratively, the WCED is well on track to finalising its preparations for the 2013 NSC.

In order to enhance the credibility of the National Senior Certificate Examinations and to give all candidates and their teachers their best opportunity in these examinations the WCED again administered competency testing for markers.

The WCED administered two rounds of testing which involved ten subjects, as opposed to seven last year. Each competency test will assess knowledge of subject content, application of that content to the examination situation and marking ability.

We want to ensure there is the highest possible standard of marking in these examinations and that all our markers are both competent and experienced in their subject fields.

The WCED is currently finalising their list of markers and their planning schedule for the NSC.

We all look forward to a stable and positive examination period and we are confident that our candidates will do the Western Cape proud.

For enquiries, contact Bronagh Casey:  072 724 1422 or bronagh.casey@westerncape.gov.za.


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