Labour pains, stabbings, rolling blackouts among incidents reported in Gauteng during matric exams

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Labour pains, stabbings, rolling blackouts among incidents reported in Gauteng during matric exams
Labour pains, stabbings, rolling blackouts among incidents reported in Gauteng during matric exams

Africa-Press – South-Africa. The Gauteng Department of Education, however, remains confident it will finish the process without any further interference and hindrance.

During a press briefing on Sunday, Education MEC Matome Chiloane referred to a recent incident at Qalabotjha Secondary School in Vlakfontein, Johannesburg, where locals closed the school on an exam day after a pupil was stabbed to death.

In another incident, rolling blackouts resulted in candidates not being able to complete the Computer Applications Technology and Information Technology practical papers.

Chiloane said pupils would rewrite the papers on 7 December.

Seventeen other schools reported incidents, including a candidate suffering a heart attack, four being caught in possession of cellphones while writing as well as one boy being shot and injured on his way to write his exam.

Chiloane said the department provided the necessary support and interventions in each matter.

The department’s biggest concern now is the high absenteeism rate among part-time candidates.

Chiloane added factors such as candidates being employed, not being ready for the paper and conflicts between work time and the examination added to the high absenteeism rate.

He said the department would investigate these factors in the future to ensure part-time candidates could write without obstacles.

Aside from this, the MEC added he was happy and remained confident the examinations would run smoothly without any fundamental interference until completion.

Early session marking started on 17 November; however, the main marking session will take place between 7 and 20 December.

“The Department of Basic Education will release matric results on 19 January, and the candidate statement will be made available at schools on 20 January,” Chiloane said.

Placements

The process of placing grades 1 and 8 candidates at schools is continuing for those who have applied during the online admission application period.

About 87.71% of applications have been placed in grades 1 and 8, and 12.29% of pupils still need to be placed.

“Although the period is expected to end on 30 November, the department wants to assure parents that all pupils will be placed in time for the 2023 academic year,” Chiloane said.

He added the system would start auto-placing the 5 485 candidates who have received offers of placement but have not accepted these offers by 30 November.

This has been done to free up the system for those who have not been placed yet.

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