Western Cape Education MEC, David Maynier says he is confident that matriculants are well prepared for exams, adding that teachers have worked around the clock, including weekend and holiday classes to help learners prepare for their finals.
Grade 12 learners are expected to officially begin their National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations on 31 October 2022, which will extend to 9 December 2022.
With the effects of the pandemic still lingering around on top of rolling blackouts, many have raised concerns regarding the readiness of learners and whether they will perform up to standard.
The matric class of 2022 was in grade 10 when the pandemic hit in 2020, making them one of the most disadvantaged groups as they had not gone through normal schooling for two full years.
Learners have expressed that after grappling with the Covid-19 pandemic, preparing for the final examination has not been easy.
Executive Director of the National Professional Teachers' Organisation of South Africa, Basil Manuel says that the matric class of 2022 has had a tremendously difficult period and their mental health is being stretched.
One of the issues that I worry about personally and as a union, we have expressed this too, is the mental health of our students. Having gone through so much and having to endure so much pressure in terms of catch up and additional classes.
He says that learners and teachers had to make up for all the learning losses over the past two years.
Not to mention all the socio-economic disadvantages many of these learners have to live through, they have to make the most out of what they have in addition to rolling power cuts learners are also unable study when they choose too.
Manuel explains that there will always be gaps but a lot of work has been done for exam readiness, adding that learners and teachers have put a lot of time and energy into preparing for the exams.
“We have a lot of resilient kids, and good parents and teachers, unfortunately there are still those who just won’t make it”
He says that with all the work done, many learners will rise to the top, however, the learning gaps have also been very evident and seen in the results from the mid-year and trial exams, which is concerning and where the fear lies.
