The Department of Basic Education (DBE) is hopeful that it will be able to resolve minor challenges before the start of Grade 12 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations. The department briefed the committee on the state of readiness for the 2023 NSC exams.
The committee heard that critical posts have been filled to meet this goal and that provinces are putting more focus on home languages. ‘Support programmes were organised by all provinces through autumn and winter vacations. All support classes, whose purpose was mainly for revision of the work already covered, were conducted face to face,’ said the department’s Mr Bulara Monyaki, who briefed the committee said.
A total of 134 South African sign languages candidates from across provinces will sit for the examinations. ‘Question papers are signed, video recorded and will be made available to candidates on the day of the examinations,’ Mr Monyaki explained. The committee also heard during the briefing that the department is now closely monitoring t
he system since there were allegations that throughput was low.
The committee heard that 74% of the learners sitting for this examination were carried through from Grade 10. ‘Plans are afoot to make sure that the system retained learners better. Monitoring is critical; unless you monitor you never going to get the system to fully comply with what you looking to achieve.’ Mr Monyaki said.
Members asked questions on various issues including why printing facilities have not been audited in the North West and Free State provinces. They were told that the Free State had been audited, and that North West moved its printing operations to set its own internal printing machinery. The 17 October deadline for the audit by State Security has been set.
Other questions concerned the attendance of teachers at the support programmes and whether there were consequences for those who did not participate. In response, committee members heard that individuals working with minors are closely observed to check if they are suita
ble. Teachers and other people involved are qualified and come to camp based on schools’ recommendations.
‘State of readiness has evolved in many ways. We meet with provinces to confirm what they had been doing. Learners have indicated that they could not wait to write the exams and that they are ready to reciprocate the effort that DBE has put into preparation for this examination,’ the department’s Director-General, Mr Mweli Matanzima, said.
Source: Parliament of South Africa