Matrics are now returning to school after the winter holidays with just three months left before starting with their final exam on 19 October.
This period may result in excessive stress on pupils if the first half of the year proved less than satisfactory academically speaking.
“If these pupils work hard from now on forward and apply military precision in scheduling their remaining time, they can expect a major improvement in results,” said Nola Payne, Head of Faculty: Information and Communication Technology at The Independent Institute of Education.
“Pupils should know that in addition to the tough few academic months lying ahead, they will also be enticed away from their books by many distractions, such as matric farewells and end-of-year parties.
“Prelim exams are less than a month away and these are a good indicator of how a pupil will fare in the final exams. But while the prelim exams are considered the ‘warm up’, and often the ‘wake up’ call for many, pupils who already know they need to make an extra effort should not wait until then to consider how they will approach their final exams,”
Pupils can make the best of the time they have left to prepare for the finals with the following approach:
Create a wall or desk calendar which allows enough space to write a routine for each day of the week. Enter both prelim and final exam dates. The dates for the National Senior Certificate final exams can be found on the websites of the Department of Basic Education (public schools) and Independent Examination Board (private schools). It is advised to diarise any other important dates or occasions for effective time management.
Rate your subject from most difficult to easy and allocate more time to the subjects you find more difficult. Keep in mind your most challenging subject, when you are writing them and how much content needs to be studied for the subject.
Count the days until both the exams and plan accordingly, allocating enough time for each subject. Get into the routine of studying every day for the next few months and turn discipline into a habit.
Divide each subject’s content into logical section. Studying three hours a day will most likely cover each section of the content.
Download past exam papers from the Department of Basic Education and the IEB websites. These will guide you as to what you can expect. Work through as many papers as possible in your study time. Re-assess your study roster after prelims to pay more attention to the subjects you struggled with during prelims.
Payne added matrics’ holistic planning for the next few months should also take into account the following:
• Research and applying for tertiary institutions. Do not spend more than an hour each day on this. Applications generally close around September.
• Maintain a healthy lifestyle which includes getting enough sleep, nutrition and exercise.
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