Angie Motshekga says load shedding won’t cause disruptions during matric exams

Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga is confident that this year’s matric exams will run smoothly despite challenges of load shedding which could cause disruptions.

The 2022 matric exams come amid rolling blackouts, sparking fears of possible rolling blackouts which could cause disruptions.

Over 755 000 full-time, and around 167 000 part-time grade 12 learners will start writing their final exams on Monday. With the lingering impact of Covid-19 on teaching and constant rolling blackouts, there is concern on how learners will perform.

The minister addressed the public on Sunday of the state of the department’s readiness as matric students start sitting for their final exams on Monday.

Motshekga said they have created a timetable that accommodates load shedding, with some learners expected to write before the load shedding schedule and other afterwards.

She said when it comes to subjects such as ICT which require reliable electricity, the department will “work around” the challenge.

“Even if there’s load shedding, tomorrow we are writing English, so we’ll use natural light. So, it’s really working around it. We can deal with English with normal light so its going to be written during the day…whether there’s load shedding or there’s no load shedding, we’ll continue to write.”

Motshekga said contingency measures have been put in place, including generators to ensure there is minimal disruptions during exams.

So far, only one exam at one school has been interrupted due to load-shedding. As a result, 14 learners will have to re-write the Computer Applications Technology exam in December.

Learners will have to sit for English first language on Monday, while the final results are expected to be announced on the 19^th of January 2023.

The department sais it is not expecting any disruptions of the matric exams to be caused by teachers. The department said it met with unions to iron out issues which could lead to a disruption of exams.

Source: Eyewitness News, SABC News, Times Live, News24, image from Twitter: @StarFMNews919

Doctor Mahlaule

Doctor Mahlaule previously worked as a Freelance Journalist at Find-it SA where he was responsible for writing news articles and sharing them on social media platforms. Doctor Mahlaule holds a Diploma in Journalism, BA in Communication Science and a BA Honours in Media Studies. Doctor began his journey as a knowledge Management and Communications Intern at Zenex Foundation. He was responsible for support in event management, social media, website maintenance, writing and brand management. On weekends Doctor attends prison ministry and shares the scriptures with inmates at Krugersdorp prison and plays soccer in the afternoon on some weekends. He has a passion for reading and writing and enjoys going out with friends and socialising in his spare time. He has a one-year-old son and is planning on getting married soon. When asked about what keeps him going, he said: “My family keeps me going. I’m the man I am because I come from a loving home. I have a very supportive family who always encourages me to keep pushing hard.”

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