Media Release
Minister of Education Donald Grant
Western Cape

16 September, 2013

WCED Launches new matric support website.

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

	Minister Grant viewing a chemistry lesson by David de Storie from Harold Cressy Secondary.

I am very pleased to launch today a new Matric Support site that will support revision for the 2013 National Senior Certificate examinations.

The website has been created to assist our Class of 2013, and those classes to come, in preparing for the NSC.

With only 41 days to go, and the upcoming September school holidays ahead, candidates now have an additional resource from which to work for additional support.

Candidates can access the Matric Support site on WCED's web site (wced.school.za - On the top right hand corner is a red button that says 2013 Matric Support Resources)

The website contains matric support via YouTube for the first time this year.

In 2009, the WCED joined forces with the University of Stellenbosch to broadcast lessons to high schools via satellite on selected subjects.

Now the WCED is producing the videos by editing recordings from the Telematics programmes. The department now has many hours of recordings available which are now been made available on YouTube. The WCED has posted over 180 recordings.

The videos currently cover Mathematics, Physical Science and Geography. The department will load more videos on key subjects as they are completed.

The videos include discussions on previous NSC papers and presentations on topics that candidates often struggle with.

The Matric Support site lists 11 topics for Mathematics, ranging from Equations and Inequalities to Trigonometry. The Physics videos cover five topics, while Chemistry covers four.

The Geography videos are classified under seven topics ranging from Climate to Map Work and Geographical Information Systems.

Candidates can access the videos from drop-down lists that appear when they click on any of the topics. There are 79 videos on Mathematics, 39 on Physical Science and 62 on Geography.

Candidates can also buy sets of the videos from Edumedia, the WCED's media production unit, at nominal prices. See the Matric Support site for details.

The site features answers to 57 frequently asked questions in six categories, namely, results, supplementary examinations, re-marking, certification, information for immigrants, and teacher inquiries.

As you are aware, the WCED issued the "Tips for Success" books to all candidates at the beginning of the year. They include study guidelines, tips on time management and how to prepare for examinations, success stories and advice on studying for every matric subject.

Together, with the launch of the website, the WCED have also provided to schools a newspaper which contains exemplar papers for learners on a variety of subjects, as well as, exam advice.

While all forms of support are welcome, the department believes that ultimate success will depend on every candidate's study plan and their success in keeping to this plan.

The website is now live for candidates to use. We encourage all our learners to visit the website. Candidates will soon receive their September results, so this is the perfect opportunity to access videos or examination papers in areas for which they are struggling. It will also be a useful additional study tool during the upcoming holidays.

We wish all schools and every candidate every success as you enter the final straight before the start of the NSC examinations.

Other matric support:

The WCED have in place a targeted and sustained strategy to support our schools through our Grade 12 programme.

Key elements of the Grade 12 improvement programme include the following:

• Ensuring that all Grade 12 learners have textbooks in at least 6 core subjects.

• Providing Grade 12 learners with a study guideline called "Tips for Success" that provides advice on how and what to study for each subject, the structure of exam papers and how to manage their study time.

• Providing learners with previous examination papers.

• Regular school visits by officials for curriculum support and monitoring.

• Meetings with learners and parents.

• Motivational talks by our district directors and staff.

• Follow up sessions with learners with irregular school attendance.

• Tutoring of learners over week-ends and holidays by experienced teachers with a record of high learner achievement.

• Subject specific support to educators to improve curriculum delivery.

• A Telematics project which broadcasts lessons via satellite in selected subjects to 144 schools after school and over weekends.

• Personal mentoring by teachers of learners at risk.

• Providing learners with safe homework and study spaces.

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

Media enquiries:
Bronagh Casey
Spokesperson for the Minister of Education, Donald Grant
Western Cape Education Department
Tel: 021 467 2377
Fax: 072 724 1422