Department concerned about ‘no show’ supplementary exam students
The Department of Basic Education is concerned about 47 000 students who failed to sit for their matric supplementary exams
More than 123 000 candidates enrolled for the February 2017 supplementary examinations but only 76 000 actually wrote.
This was revealed in a recent statement released by the Department of Basic Education.
The department’s spokesman, Elijah Mhlanga, says the supplementary exams are considered to be a second sitting of the November 2016 NSC examinations.
“The department has been monitoring the patterns for several years and despite several attempts to improve the participation rate, no change has taken place.
“As a result the Department intends merging the February supplementary examinations with the June national examinations.
“The current examinations are not serving their intended purpose,” he says.
Mhlanga says learners that write the supplementary exams are unable to access admission to higher education institutions in the year they write these examinations.
“There are a large percentage of no shows followed by poor performance in the supplementary examinations,” he says.
Mhlanga says the department has briefed the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education on the possible merger of Grade 12 National Examinations.
They results revealed that an additional 13 765 candidates achieved their NSC qualifications and thus passed Grade 12.
“It saw 76 760 candidates sitting for the 116 question papers at 6 326 examinations centres around the country.
“The consolidation of the performance in the November 2016 and February 2017 exams provides a complete picture of the overall performance of the Class of 2016.
“It allows candidates, who did not meet the NSC requirements by 1 to 3 subjects during the November examinations, a second chance at obtaining their NSC qualification,” he says.
Mhlanga says a summary of the gains coming from the 2016 NSC supplementary examinations have shown an improvement.
“The overall performance of candidates reflects an increase from 442 672 to 456 437 (a difference of 13 765) candidates achieving the NSC.
“There is an increase of 9 561 candidates obtaining their higher certificates; 2 619 additional candidates obtaining admission to diploma studies; and 1 564 more candidates obtaining admission to Bachelor’s studies,” he says.
Mhlanga says the department is concerned that the participation rate remains low in supplementary exams.
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