The KwaZulu-Natal department of education is very confident that it will achieve no less than 80% matric pass rate for the class of 2022.
This was announced by MEC Mbali Frazer during a media briefing on the province’s state of readiness for the exams.
Fraser said the department was ready to administer the 2022 National Senior Certificate examinations, which is the biggest examination system in the country with 198,000 fulltime and part-time candidates.
The department said the distribution of exam material would be done through 13 nodal points and 103 distribution and collection centres. It stated that 120 question papers totalling 24 million pages would be printed in the province and that there would be 28 morning and 27 afternoon sessions in the exams.
“We will have 6,022 invigilators in 1,780 centres. The distribution of examinations will be done through 13 points and 103 distribution and collection centres. We will print 120 question papers, which will total 24-million pages. There will be 28 morning and 27 afternoon sessions,” Fraser said.
She said they have been very optimistic about 2022 as the Covid-19 pandemic did not affect learners as it did in the previous years. Frazer admitted unforeseen circumstances such as the April floods meant that they had to slightly adjust their expectations.
“It is important to note that we aim to ensure that we pass all candidates who sit for the final exam, however, there are factors which sometimes make it difficult to pass all our learners,” she said.
Frazer said KZN’s aim and target was to ensure that all candidates who sit for the final exams pass, thereby obtaining 100% performance as a province.
“To ensure that the class of 2022 was ready and sharp for their exams, we developed the 2022 academic improvement plan whose objectives were to improve the pass percentage from 76.8% to a minimum 80%,” said Frazer.
“Other objectives included: increasing the number of schools obtaining 100% pass rate, improving bachelor passes by 20%and improving passes in mathematics, science and other technical subjects. We want to improve the quality and quantity of passes in home languages and to increase the percentage of the distinctions in each of the NSC subjects.”
The department hosted winter classes in June and July to ensure that all teaching was completed by the end of August.
Source: Times Live, IOL, image from Twitter: @ThabisoGoba2