Grade 12 learners in the Eastern Cape will make history later this year when they begin their National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations. They will make history by being the first group of learners to write their final matric examinations in IsiXhosa and SeSotho.
It is expected that 87 000 thousand learners from 800 schools in the Eastern Cape will participate in this initiative.
Eastern Cape Education spokesperson, Malibongwe Mtima explains that in the past, many learners struggled in examinations not because they did not understand the work but because language was a barrier.
Mtima says while learners wrote trial examinations in their mother tongue languages in the past, the department applied to Umalusi to allow learners to write their NSC examinations in their languages.
They added that this will allow learners to develop and attain greater levels of success in the upcoming examinations. The provincial education department was assisted by the National Lexology, Xhosa unit, and the Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB) to prepare for the examination.
The Department of Basic Education (DBE) will translate mathematics, physical science, life sciences, history, agricultural science and accounting Grade 12 examinations into IsiXhosa and SeSotho.
Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga spoke about the importance of allowing learners to be taught in their mother tongue.
The minister explained that when learners are taught in a different language, they are tested on their ability to translate rather than being tested on their understanding of subject content.
