The 2023 final National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations are less than two weeks away. The exam period will commence on 30 October.
After an incident where someone, who worked for the company who printed matric exam papers, leaked the question papers, the department is now taking measures to ensure this incident doesn't repeat itself.
The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has conducted an audit of all sites where question papers are printed, packed and stored. The State Security audits all printing of exam papers.
The Department has also made sure that there is full security compliance at printing sites and 100% compliance on all storage points.
As for providing support to matrics to prepare for the exams, the Department has said:
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.
Sign Language Exams In The Early Stages
This will be the sixth time that the South African Sign Language (SASL) will be written during the NSC final exams. Sign language was included as a subject for the first time in the 2018 NSC exams.
This year, a total of 134 South African sign languages candidates from across the country will sit for the examinations. As for how exams work, DBE has said, “Question papers are signed, video recorded and will be made available to candidates on the day of the examinations".
The department is said to be closely monitoring the system since there were allegations that throughput was low.
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.
74% of the matrics writing the exams were carried through from grade 10.
Director-General, Mr Mweli Matanzima, said, "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".
2023 Final Exams In A Nutshell
The final matric examination period is set to commence on Monday, 30 October 2023 and will conclude during the first week of December 2023. This year, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) has said that there are security measures in place to make sure that there are no disruptions to the 2024 final matric examination period.
723 971 full-time candidates will sit down to participate in this year's final National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations, around 30 000 less than last year. As for part-time candidates, 129 064 individuals will be writing, bringing the total candidates for this year's final matric exams to 853 035.
As for Independent schools. 14 127 full-time candidates and 1 080 part-time candidates will be writing.
This year's exams will take place across 6 337 public schools and 552 independent exam centres in the country, including Adult Education and Training centres and special centres.
The 2023 matric exam results will be released on 19 January 2024.
