Matrics impacted by load shedding ‘can rewrite exams’
The Department of Basic Education has given an assurance to matric pupils that rewrites will be available to those whose exams have been impacted by load shedding.
About one million pupils are expected to sit for their final examinations from 31 October until the 7th of December.
The exam period comes amid a prolonged period of daily power cuts as the embattled power utility struggles to keep the lights on due to a shortage of generation capacity.
This has led to concern over the impact the power cuts could have on pupils are gearing up for their final exams.
The department currently has 923 460 learners enrolled for the National Senior Certificate exams while the independent examination board has a total of 13 567 learners who are expected to sit for their examinations.
Students who write Computer Applications Technology (CAT) already sat for their exams on Tuesday, where few schools in Pretoria experienced some challenges due to load shedding.
The department’s spokesperson Hope Mokgatlhe says there's a Plan B should load shedding disrupt exams.
"Load shedding is a national problem, it affects homes, schools and even hospitals at times. As the department of basic education, we have been in contact with Eskom and the ministry of the related departments to ask them to ensure that our learners are not affected during this time of exams.
“But obviously, there can never be confirmation and load shedding has happened in some schools.
As the department in contact with Eskom, we understand that it is not the school or the children's issue, we need to be able to give them another chance, so yes learners will get another chance to write at another time," says Mokgatlhe.
Mokgatlhe says the department has had continuous engagement with Eskom and relevant departments to exempt schools from load-shedding were possible.
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