![](https://images.caxton.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2016/01/letter-pens.jpg)
MINISTER of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga implores matrics who did not succeed in the 2015 exams to not give up.
“We have a special plea to all learners who didn’t succeed. This is not the end of the world, we have a special intervention to assist all of you,” she said.
According to Motshekga, the greatest challenge facing basic education is the high dropout rate.
“Research on education outcomes in SA clearly points to concerns about poverty and vulnerability to anti-social and risky behaviours as major contributors to poor learner performance and exclusion from education.”
Motshekga said research suggests 54% of people with an education level less than matric are unemployed.
The ‘Second Chance Matric Programme’ aims to provide support to pupils who did not meet the requirements of the National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams. It will assist those pupils who qualify to write supplementary exams for a maximum of two subjects, progressed pupils who pursue multiple opportunities to complete the NSC and pupils who failed to meet the requirements of the NSC in 2015.
Those allowed to write the supplementary examinations are:
- People who did not meet the minimum promotion and certification requirements who need up to two subjects to obtain the NSC.
- Anyone who was medically unfit and therefore absent for one or more exams.
- Applicants who didn’t meet the minimum higher education requirements and higher education faculty requirements. In these cases they must only be one requirement short to meet the requirements for the higher certificate, diploma or bachelor’s degree programmes.
- Someone who provides evidence they are being considered for a job but is one requirement short for said job.
- Where there was a death in the immediate family or other special reasons for missing an exam.