Motshekga: Matrics meant to write exams in June, will write in December

Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga, while briefing the nation on the reopening of schools on Monday 1 June, said there is a lot of anxiety regarding matrics and their exams. 

Motshekga held the briefing on Monday after it was initially postponed on Sunday 31 May. 

MOTSHEKGA: MATRICS TO WRITE EXAMS IN DECEMBER  

Motshekga said that due to anxiety surrounding matric exams, the learners who were supposed to write in June will now write in December. 

We’re already in the month of June, which means there would be little time matrics to prepare themselves if exams had to take place in June. 

Motshekga said the Department of Basic Education (DBE) has agreed with its partners to have another meeting on Thursday 4 June to assess the readiness of schools. The minister said Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) should arrive this week. 

For the moment, schools are still expected to reopen on 8 June as stipulated by the department on Sunday evening. The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has, however, allowed grade 7 and matric learners to return to school on Monday 1 June.

“I am hopeful that all the challenges will be addressed, any further delays will disadvantage learners,” said Motshekga. 

There is a lot of anxiety around matric exams as well, the learners who were supposed to write in June will for now write in December, the Minister says #Motshekga #level3 #backtoschool #COVID19

— @SAgovnews (@SAgovnews) June 1, 2020

OTHER POINTS ON THE REOPENING OF SCHOOLS

Besides the announcement of matrics and when they will write their exams, Motshekga also made other points, which parents and learners should be aware of pending the full reopening of schools. 

Motshekga made the following announcements regarding the reopening of schools:  

• Absolute compliance to hygiene standards is critical for the schools to reopen;
• A meeting on Saturday agreed to finalise the delivery of PPEs to all the schools and prioritise water and sanitation;
• We also agreed to finalise the training of cleaners and school nutrition teams; 
• Private schools have made their own submissions on compliance;
• There will be a permit issued to those teachers and learners who travel between provinces and metros; 
• Matrics will write exams in December rather than in June;
• Sports and cultural extramural remain suspended; 
• A parent is obliged to apply for homeschooling if they choose to keep their child at home; 
• Parents should not send their children to school if they show any COVID-19 symptoms; 
• Schools and offices should have sufficient sanitisers, water to wash hands and masks are compulsory; and
• A full term has been lost, therefore, timetables and curriculums would have to be re-engineered. 

Here’s why schools did not open on time: 

• PPE and support staff had not arrived at the schools on time; 
• Teachers were anxious that they would have to induct the learners on the protocols; and
• Key factors around safety which were not satisfied like water.