First Braille certificate issued to NSC candidate
Date: 5 May 2019
In January 2019, Lise-Mari van Wyk received a national and provincial award for her outstanding performance in the 2018 National Senior Certificate.
On receiving the award, Lise-Mari’s father commented that he had to read the contents of the certificate to his daughter and how nice it would be to have such a certificate in Braille.
Our examinations directorate made note of his comment and recognised the value of what a Braille certificate could mean to a blind learner.
They contacted Pioneer School for learners with visual barriers, Lise-Mari’s previous school, and asked if the printing of such a certificate would be possible. With the help of Pioneer Printers a certificate was printed and presented to Lise-Mari.
Lisa-Mari said that receiving a Braille certificate meant a lot to her.
“When I receive something that is written, I kind of feel as if it's not mine and I cannot appreciate it as much as I do when I receive a Braille one. It is also very, very important to me because it feels as if I'm acknowledged and as if I'm a part of the outside world.”
“I can always go back to that certificate a few years later and read what it was for and remember how hard I had worked to get it,” she said.
A big thank you to the examinations team, as well as Pioneer Printers and Pioneer School, who assisted in making this a reality.
It has certainly changed the way the WCED will address certificates that are presented to our blind NSC candidates in future.
