The Department of Basic Education said it's ready for the Grade 12 final examinations for the class of 2024. Minister Siviwe Gwarube, her deputy, Dr. Reginah Mhaule and director-general, Mathanzima Mweli, briefed the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education in Parliament today on the state of readiness for this year's National Senior Certificate examinations.

OVER 700K CANDIDATES TO SIT FOR MATRIC EXAMS

Chief Director for national assessment and public examinations, Dr. Rufus Poliah, said that there were 732,448 full-time candidates who will be seating for this year's final examinations starting on October 21st. The number has increased by 8,400 more candidates than last year. Poliah told Parliament that KwaZulu-Natal was leading with 172 213 candidates, followed by Gauteng with 136 620 and the Eastern Cape has 103 975. "Limpopo has 94 236, Mpumalanga has 68 455 and Western Cape has registered 64 552, while North West enrolled 41 480, Free State has 37 737 and Northern Cape registered 13 180 candidates this year," Poliah said, adding that there are 136,195 part-time candidates registered to write matric examinations for various subjects this year.

QUESTION PAPERS APPROVED

According to Poliah, a total of 162 question papers for this year's examinations have been approved by a statutory quality council Umalusi and they are ready for handover to provinces for printing. The examinations run from 21 October to 27 November 2024 at 6 909 centres across the nine provinces. Marking will commence immediately thereafter. Minister Gwarube said that her department had done a lot of work to prepare both the candidates and the system for this year's examination. She said this was a pivotal moment for the learners who were in their last weeks in the basic education system. The department has already appointed markers who will be stationed in 188 marking centres. "The results will be released to candidates on 16 January 2025 and announced on 15 January 2025," Gwarube said.