KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli, right, and Education MEC Sipho Hlomuka spell out the lie of the land before the matric exams begin next week. | Supplied
Durban — KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli, alongside Education MEC Sipho Hlomuka, reaffirmed the province’s preparedness for the upcoming National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations, commencing on Monday.
This was revealed during a media briefing at The Marine Building in Durban on Thursday.
Ntuli said that with a total of 207419 candidates set to take their final exams, the stakes were high, and expectations were soaring as learners carried the weight of their families’ dreams and aspirations.
Assurances of the integrity of the examination process were also central to the premier’s address, as he emphasised the stringent security measures to prevent any breaches.
“We want to run an exam that is free of any irregularities,” said Ntuli.
Hlomuka said there was an integrated plan that included security in place for opportunistic protesters who chose to protest during exam times.
He said that they were working with municipalities and the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs to assist with a rapid response team for safety should there be any disruptions.
“In previous years, community members would protest over water challenges and barricade entrances to disrupt exams,” he said.
Ntuli said the announcement of readiness came as part of ongoing efforts throughout the academic year from the Department of Education, led by Hlomuka, Ntuli said.
He said the province had excelled in the previous year, attaining an impressive 86% pass rate, the second-highest in the country.
This year, Ntuli said, KZN had set an ambitious target in aiming for a 90% or even a 100% pass rate in 2024.
Ntuli emphasised the meticulous planning involved and highlighted the launch of the 2024 Academic Improvement Plan, which tasked all 12 districts in the province with crafting tailored strategies to enhance student performance.
Weekend tutoring sessions and winter classes have already proved beneficial, with 98975 learners participating in winter school programmes across 1001 centres, Ntuli said.
Moreover, spring boot camps have been established to address subject challenges identified from previous assessments, he said.
“On the logistics front, the scale of the upcoming examinations is monumental.
“The province will print 120 unique question papers, amounting to a staggering 30 million printed pages.
“Over the course of 27 mornings and 27 afternoons, examinations will take place seamlessly across multiple centres, assured by thorough co-ordination and emergency contingencies in place with the South African Police Service and South African National Defence Force to manage potential disruptions,” said Ntuli.
The eagerly anticipated results will be announced by the National Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube on January 15, with KwaZulu-Natal releasing its results a day later.
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