Matric exams: Here’s what will be written this week and study hacks

In less than three weeks, matrics will finally put their pens down once the 2024 exams come to an end.

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

Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube revealed that 727,121 full-time and 155,215 part-time candidates would sit for the 2024 matric exams across the country.

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

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NSC exam schedule

Week four of the exams begins with Physical Sciences (chemistry) and Technical Sciences Paper 2 on Monday morning and in the afternoon Dance studies at 2pm.

On Tuesday, the matric pupils will write the following languages; isiZulu, isiXhosa, siSwati, and isiNdebele Papers 2. Home Languages (HL) and First Additional Languages (FAL) will be written in under two and a half hours, and Second Additional Languages (SAL) in under one and a half hours.

Later in the day students will write Economic Paper 1 at 2pm.

Midweek, candidates will sit for English HL, FAL, and SAL Paper 2 in the first session and Engineering Graphics and Design P2 in the second session.

Accounting Paper 1 will be written on Thursday morning and Tourism in the afternoon.

The week will end with pupils sitting for Life Sciences Paper 1 at 9 am, and Civil Technology at 2 pm.

See the full NSC final exam timetable below:

2024 NSC Timetable by Sonwabile P. Mncaphayi

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IEB exam schedule

For IEB scholars, the week starts with History Paper 2 in the morning, with no exams in the afternoon.

Matrics will write Life Sciences Paper 1 on Tuesday at 9am.

On Wednesday, candidates will sit for Engineering Graphics and Design Paper 1 in the morning.

Dramatic Arts will written on Thursday morning, with no scheduled exam in the second session.

Lastly, for the week, matrics will write both Mathematical Literacy Paper 2 and Physical Sciences (Chemistry) Paper 2 in the first session.

See the full IEB final exam timetable below:

IEB Final Timetable 2024 by oratile

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

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