Categories: South Africa

Matriculants could soon choose when to write final exams

The Department of Education (DoE) is planning on implementing a “two exams system”, which gives Grade 12 pupils the choice of choosing when to write final exams, Northern Natal Courier reports.

This system is commonly referred to as modularisation or the multiple exam option (MEO), and is used to assist struggling pupils who were progressed to Grade 12. It will give them an opportunity to write their exams either in the October / November period, or in June the following year.

The reasoning behind this is to address high school dropout rates and increase school retention, explains Business Tech.

Instead of forcing learners to repeat a year, it gives them an opportunity to successfully progress to the next grade at their own pace.

If the DoE goes ahead with this system, the first group of progressed pupils benefiting from this modularisation will write their exams in June next year.

The proposal was presented to the education portfolio committee in the KwaZulu-Natal legislature last week by the provincial department’s acting curriculum manager, Dr Barney Mthembu.

Mthembu said that “should the plan be implemented, it will ease the challenges of pupils and the department”.

It is something that the national Department of Basic Education has said is the future of exams in the country, he added.

Learners must adhere to certain criteria in order to be considered for MEO. These include being a progressed (failed) learner, completing SBA requirements in all seven subjects, low absenteeism, writing Preparatory examinations (prelims) in all subjects, and failing a minimum of three subjects.

The MEO applicant must also write at least three subjects in their first year, excluding Life Orientation, and must have written all seven subjects by the second matric year.

Debates continue amongst different education sectors, as the programme would mean that struggling matric learners are able to complete their final examinations and Grade 12 over two years.

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