The 2023 National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams are officially underway. More than 900,000 Grade 12 learners are participating in the crucial exams which will take place over the next seven weeks.
Basic Education Minister, Angie Motshekga says all systems go for the critical exams which they expect to progress without any major challenges. They praised the dedication and commitment of South Africa’s basic education sector in their work to ensure the smooth execution of this pivotal national duty.
This year, we take pride in announcing that we have over 717 377 candidates registered to participate in the final examinations across 6,898 centres nationwide. These figures are not mere statistics; they embody the aspirations, dreams, and relentless efforts of our Grade 12 learners.
Motshekga said the exams serve as a testament to the resilience, determination, and collective efforts of our students, educators, and the entire basic education sector.
Quality Assurance body Umalusi has given their stamp of approval for all question papers to be administered in the October/November 2023 Examinations.
The DBE also enhanced its security measures to prevent paper leaks in all nine provinces to protect the integrity of the exams.
They explained that exam invigilators overseeing the have been instructed to collect examination scripts within a set period which seeks to prevent any early access to matric exam question papers.
Each of the country’s nine provinces and their respective Provincial Education Departments (PEDs) have teams to deal with unexpected problems and take action to prevent them.
The State Security Agency has also audited these processes. Provincial Education Departments (PEDs) must follow standard operating procedures [in] training storage point managers in security protocols.
In case of power outages, all regions and schools have made plans to deal with this, like having backup generators.
The Computer Applications Technology and Information Technology Paper 1 exams were mostly held without any major power challenges, though there were a few isolated incidents.
Those affected were taken care of. If there are power problems, the DBE will provide a backup test. In South African Sign Language Home Language exams, candidates' laptops will be fully charged before the test, and we have backup power in place.
Minister in The Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni has expressed confidence in the preparation of the Class of 2023 for their exams, emphasising the importance of determination and hard work.
They explained that more than 95% of registered matric exam candidates, nearly a million learners, will take the English additional language paper.
The government is calling on parents and society to support learners in what is often a stressful period.
Parents and guardians are encouraged to create a stress-free study environment and be aware of learners' anxiety. The government also extended well wishes to the 72,500 invigilators responsible for exam integrity.
Learners will receive their 2023 NSC matric results on Friday, 19 January 2024.
