South Africa: Today schools are re-opening for the fourth quarter of the year 2022, and MEC Majuba welcomes all the teachers, non-teaching staff and learners from a well-deserved leave.
Schools are returning at a critical time in our education calendar, as everything points to the final examinations in all grades.
MEC Majuba requests that, as a collective and individuals, do everything humanly possible to consolidate the work to be done and do it more effectively and efficiently.
With less than 19 days remaining before the Class of 2022 sits for their final examination, he wish to take this opportunity to present to the community of Mpumalanga our State of Readiness.
All due processes have already been put in place to ensure that the 2022 Examination progress meets the provided rules and regulations.
This intends to ensure that everyone upholds the integrity and credibility of the Examination at all times.
The Department has since the year 2010 been able to manage an incident-free examination process, and the desire is that the same success must be achieved this year as well.
The 2022 Grade 12 Examination will be the biggest in the history of writing such an examination process, and for this reason, there is a need to be extra vigilant and more meticulous in all material aspects of managing these examinations.
71 582 full-time candidates have registered to write the 2022 National Senior Certificate Examination.
It is the first time that the Province has registered such a high number, and I must say that I am extremely encouraged and happy about it because it confirms that the majority of learners that enters our system in grade R, the majority of them do make it to Grade 12, said MEC Majuba.
Bohlabela District has registered 16 812 learners;
Ehlanzeni District has registered 19 722 learners;
Gert Sibande District has registered 16 403 learners and
Nkangala District has registered 18 645 learners.
All these candidates will write in 566 schools, which are now called examination centres, for the purposes of the examinations. 39 of these examination centres are independent schools.
The Department has already appointed 566 Chief Invigilators who undertook an induction from 07 – 14 September 2022.
The Department will deploy resident monitors on a rotational basis to 39 Independent schools, administering these examinations.
There are eight (08) schools in the Province that will be offering grade 12 for the first time, and resident monitors are already appointed to assist with examination administration for these schools.
Bukhosibetfu Inclusive school is the only Centre to administer South African Sign in the Province.
All leaners will be expected to observe the rules and regulations of these examinations and as such will be expected to sign the pledge of good conduct on Friday the 21st of October 2022.
MEC Majuba visit Phillip Ndimande Secondary School at Emalahleni Local Municipality to observe that process.
The Department will provide all learners with irregularities awareness leaflets on transgression of examination rules to ensure that they are always mindful of what to do and the consequences of the transgressions relating to these examinations.
The Department has granted approval to 24 Schools with limited space to use alternative venues like churches and community halls to write the examinations.
Learners who do not have official Identity Documents have been granted temporary identification cards to enable them to write the examinations.
There are about 2000 learners who could not submit their formal South African Identity documents.
I, therefore, wish to encourage all parents to make it their priority that their children have such important documents as Birth Certificate and ID Cards.
Parents must visit the Department of Home Affairs Office to solicit the necessary assistance.
The Department will work collaboratively with all the law enforcement agencies, including the SAPS, to provide the necessary security towards the success of the examinations.
Strict compliance to norms, standards and procedures for the handling of examination material will be enforced to entrench credibility and avoid security breaches.
MEC Majuba further requests every citizen of the Province to assist in ensuring that the 2022 final Examinations progress well in a favourable environment.
The Examinations will commence in full scale on the 31st of October and will proceed until the 7th of December 2022.
Script marking will start from 9th to the 22nd of December 2022 in 19 Marking Centres spread throughout the Province.
The Department has already appointed 5 401 markers, 841 Exam Assistants, 150 Admin and Capturers and 57 Centre Managers are yet to be appointed, leading to a total of 6 449 Marking and Support Personnel.
The selection of markers was conducted centrally, and a list was circulated to principals, circuit managers and subject advisors for verification.
Chief Markers and Internal Moderators will be orientated on the 27th of October, 2022.
The final marks-capturing process will be on the 23rd of December 2022 before standardisation.
The Department will announce the Grade 12 Examination Results on Friday, the 20th of January 2023, at the University of Mpumalanga.
All learners will be expected to go back to their respective schools on this day to collect their statement of results.
In the end, he wishes to take this opportunity to extend his best wishes to the Class of 2022 and mentioned, “Your 12 years of sacrifice and hard work are about to yield positive results. Your endurance and commitment are about producing lasting outcomes.”
Furthermore, he said you need to stay focused, humbled and committed to the goals you set for yourself. Continue to respect your teachers, parents and the time at your disposal.
