The bulk of the exams for Grade 12 learners was completed without significant incidents, said spokesperson Geoffrey van der Merwe on Monday (25/11). He commended all stakeholders for their cooperation throughout the examination period but warned against “pens down” parties, which he said could jeopardise learners’ future.

“We caution Grade 12 learners against attending these parties, which may lead to risky behaviour that could negatively impact their future. We also appeal to parents to discourage such gatherings and urge school communities to report any instances to the police.”

The department was now preparing for the next phase of the NSC process. Education MEC Abraham Vosloo will officially open the marking centres in Kimberley on Sunday (1/12). The marking process will pave the way for releasing the 2024 matric results, scheduled for Tuesday, 14 January.

Although most of the exam period was incident-free, Van der Merwe mentioned a minor challenge on the first day when 297 learners in Jan Kempdorp faced potential delays due to blockaded routes caused by a taxi protest. The learners were eventually granted access to their schools to write their exams.

The Northern Cape achieved a 75.8% matric pass rate in 2023, the lowest in the country but an improvement from the 74.2% pass rate in 2022.

OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi cg/mc