Matric exams: Here’s what will be written this week and how you can prepare

Matric exams started on 21 October and will conclude on 28 November for Independent Examinations Board (IEB) and National Senior Certificate (NSC) learners.

Prior to the first day of writing, the Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube revealed that 727,121 full-time and 155,215 part-time candidates would sit for the Gauteng Department of Education matric exam.

“That’s 882,336 candidates from across South Africa,” she said, adding that 16 400 IEB pupils would undertake the exams.

Gwarube wished all the candidates the best for their exams.

“This is your moment to shine. You have worked over the past twelve years and now you have the opportunity to showcase your knowledge, your skills and your determination.

“We are confident that you will approach these exams with the focus, discipline and commitment that brought you this far,” she said, while also pleading that they [matrics] stay off social media during exam season.

NSC exam schedule

The exams kicked off on Monday morning with candidates writing English (HL, FAL, SAL) paper 3.

On the same day, matriculants are set to sit for Afrikaans (HL, FAL, SAL) paper 3 at 2pm.

Paper 1s for foreign languages will be written on Tuesday and Thursday, while paper 2s will be written on Friday afternoon at 2pm.

Moreover home language paper 3 exams will be written on Thursday and Friday.

See the the full NSC final exam timetable below:

2024 NSC Timetable by Oratile on Scribd

2024 NSC Timetable by oratile on Scribd

ALSO READ: Inmates prepared for NSC exams, says Correctional Services

IEB exam schedule

For IEB scholars, the exam season started off with First Additional Languages (FAL) and Home Languages (HL) Paper 1 in the morning.

Paper 1s for foreign languages will be written on Tuesday and Thursday, while paper 2s will be written on Friday at 2pm.

South African languages will be written on week 5 of the exams, but TshiVenda FAL will be written on Friday, 25 October at 9am.

See the the full IEB final exam timetable below:

IEB Final Timetable 2024 by oratile on Scribd

ALSO READ: Matric Exams: ‘This is your moment to shine’, says Gwarube [VIDEO]

Tips for studying

The Citizen cares about the academic success of matriculants and has put together the following tips to assist with studying:

• Create a study plan: Develop a study plan and stick to it! Set specific goals for each study session to help you stay focused and motivated. Use a planner, calendar, or app to schedule your study sessions and track your progress.
• Stay organised: Keep all your study materials in one place, including notes, past papers, and textbooks. Organise your notes using a system that works for you, such as colour-coding or tabbing. Use a binder or folder to keep everything tidy and easily accessible.
• Identify weak wreas: Identify your weak areas and allocate more time to improve them. Use a graph or chart to track your progress and identify areas where you need extra help. Focus on one weak area at a time, and use active learning techniques to reinforce your understanding.
• Practice, practice, practice!: Practice past papers and questions to build familiarity with the exam format and boost your confidence. Use flashcards to memorise key terms and concepts, and create concept maps to visualize relationships between ideas. Try active recall techniques like summarising notes in your own words or explaining concepts to a friend.
• Seek help when needed: Don’t hesitate to seek help when you need it! Ask your teachers, classmates, or tutors for assistance. Use online resources like video tutorials, podcasts, or study groups to supplement your learning.
• Stay motivated: Remind yourself of your goals and why you’re working hard. Use a motivational quote or image to inspire you, or create a vision board to visualize your success. Celebrate your progress and achievements along the way, no matter how small! It’s also really helpful to gift yourself after achieving each goal, like getting a chocolate bar or your favourite snack after you finish studying.
• Stay healthy: Take care of your physical and mental health by eating well, exercising regularly, and getting enough sleep. Use a wellness tracker or app to monitor your progress and stay on top of your game.
• Use active learning techniques: Use active learning techniques like mnemonics, acronyms, and rhymes to memorise key information. Create mind maps or concept maps to visualise relationships between ideas. Use different colours, fonts, and highlighting to make your notes more engaging and memorable.

Study Hacks

• Use the Pomodoro Technique: Study in focused 25-minute increments, followed by a five-minute break.
• Create a “cheat sheet” with key terms and concepts. It is also advantageous to use the one-paper style as a cheat sheet. The one-paper method refers to writing everything you’ve studied on a single paper, from your memory. This method tricks your brain into taking in a lot of information faster and shorter than you would normally.
• Use music to your advantage: Listen to instrumental music or white noise to boost focus. Spotify, YouTube and or Apple Music usually have study playlists with the aforementioned sounds.
• Take breaks to move your body and refresh your mind.
• Use visual aids like diagrams, flowcharts, and infographics to simplify complex information.