Media Release
Minister of Education Debbie Schäfer
Western Cape

11 February, 2015

WCED revision support programmes for 2014 NSC candidates.

Statement by Minister Debbie Schäfer, Minister of Education

In any examinations, stress and emotions can get to some candidates, causing them to 'slip-up' or not perform their best. Fortunately, for the majority of candidates that did not pass their NSC in 2014, they now have the opportunity to re-write these examinations with the hope of achieving their NSC.

More than 6 000 candidates have enrolled for the NSC Supplementary Examinations, which run from 16 February to 24 March.

This means that these learners have a second chance to complete the NSC requirements - an opportunity that should not be ignored.

To assist these candidates, the Western Cape Education Department is offering various support programmes and resources for matric candidates who qualify to write supplementary examinations which are scheduled to commence on 16 February 2015 and conclude on 24 March 2015.

We believe that these support measures and resources could assist them in tackling the areas in which they failed and improve on their result.

All learners who qualified for supplementary examinations in the Western Cape received the following support:

• The supplementary exam timetable will be distributed so that learners can plan their study timetables ahead of the examinations.

• The 2014 NSC exam paper and answer memorandum will be released to candidates. This will be a useful tool to ascertain how questions should be answered and where candidates possibly went wrong in their first examination.

• Previous exemplar exam papers and memoranda to work through. Papers such as these are extremely useful - as they say, "Practice makes perfect."

• Video support is available on request at Edumedia, district offices and schools.

Full details on our support appear on our web site at wced.school.za (see "Supplementary Examinations" on our home page).

The site includes the examination timetable, exemplars of examination papers, past papers and marking memoranda, study guidelines and short video lessons on selected subjects.

The WCED will provide lessons for candidates writing supplementary examinations via our Telematics service. We attach the timetable for these lessons and a list of centres where candidates can attend.

Candidates can order videos from the 2014 Telematics programme from Edumedia in Mowbray.

To order videos, please contact Evelyn Oosthuizen: Email: evelyn.oosthuizen@westerncape.gov.za
Telephone: 021 689 9536

The videos cost R27 per DVD. Candidates can obtain order forms from our web site.

For those learners who are writing the maths supplementary exam, I would encourage you to visit the following website http://papervideo.co.za/ for past matric papers embedded with video solutions.

We are also very appreciative of the donation by Papervideo of 800 of their special workbooks to the WCED, as well as offering their time to conduct 2 special maths workshops on Friday 13th February Saturday 14th February at the Cape Teaching and Leadership Institute in Kuils River.

In addition candidates can join tuition classes in one of the following subjects. Tuition classes began on 2 February 2015 at the following Adult Education Centres:

Supplementary examinations on high enrolment subjects will take place on the following dates:

• Mathematics - 20 and 23 February 2015
• Mathematical Literacy - 20 and 23 February 2015
• Physical Science - 6 and 9 March 2015
• Geography - 25 February 2015
• Life Sciences - 13 and 16 March 2015
• Business Studies - 20 March 2015
• Economics - 26 February and 11 March 2015
• History - 18 and 23 March 2015

Examination centres for the writing of the Supplementary Examinations will be established at secondary schools and other venues, as determined by the Department.

I strongly encourage these candidates to make use of this opportunity and put in their best effort to pass the supplementary exam.

Media enquiries:
Jessica Shelver
Spokesperson for the Minister of Education, Debbie Schäfer
Western Cape Education Department
Tel: 076 175 0663