Matrics will write exams from 5 November to 15 December

The 2020 National Senior Certificate final exams will officially commence on 5 November and conclude on 15 December, the department of basic education announced on Wednesday.

The department said the later-than-normal start to the exams would allow schools and pupils enough time to complete the curriculum, while leaving sufficient time for revision and study.

The department revised the calendar for the 2020 school year a week ago, after schools closed for a second time due to concerns over the peak in Covid-19 infections.

The exam period is expected to also see the sitting of candidates who were supposed to write their examinations in June.

More than 1.1-million candidates are expected to sit for this year’s combined exams.

“Candidates are once again reminded that this is a combined examination which implies that all candidates that were scheduled to write the Senior Certificate examination in May/June 2020 and have already registered will be allowed to write this examination.

“Candidates [who] have also registered for the October/November 2020 National Senior Certificate examination will be allowed to write this examination,” the department said in a statement.

All registered candidates will receive their admission letters which will list their subjects, by the end September.

The department has also advised that candidates who were scheduled to write the October-November examination would now write two papers each in Business Studies and Accounting, while those who would have written the May-June examination would write one paper each in Business Studies and Accounting.

Life Orientation Common Assessment Task is expected to be be written on 19 October, and Computer Applications Technology (CAT) and Information Technology (IT) practicals on 21 and 22 October, respectively.

The department previously announced that results would be released on 23 February 2021.

Teachers will return on 25 January for the 2021 school year, the department also previously announced.

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