By Kaya 959 Reporter
Gauteng has enrolled 175 599 candidates to write this year’s matric exams. This is an increase of 17.55% from 2020.
The Class of 2021 is the highest enrolment number ever of candidates to sit for the National Senior Certificate examinations in the province.
Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi says 132 887 candidates are full-time and 42 712 are part-time candidates.
Part-time candidates are those who have one or more outstanding subjects to qualify for the NSC qualification.
The number of full-time candidates includes 7 979 candidates who have progressed from Grade 11 to Grade 12. In addition, there are 1 987 learners with special education needs who will sit for the NSC examinations.
Lesufi says officials have accredited a total of 1004 examination centres. The centres include public schools, independent schools, AET centres and eight prisons.
He says the GDE has established an extensive network of monitors across the province. Officials have appointed and trained all chief invigilators and monitors for the exam centres.
“The invigilators and monitors are sourced from our head office, districts and other education stakeholders, to ensure that the processes relating to conduct, administration and management of the NSC examination is fair, credible and run with integrity,” Lesufi says.
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Increased security arrangement
He adds that officials have put in place all necessary security arrangements. This will allow officials to safely manage the distribution and collection of question papers and answer sheets.
The province is running one of the largest examination processes in the country after KwaZulu-Natal.
“In this regard, we will have printed 2 171 915 question papers for the duration of the examination process. We have ensured that we increase security arrangements around the printing of question papers as a means of mitigating human error and other vulnerabilities,” says Lesufi.
The province has also selected and certified marking venues where the marking of examination scripts will take place. Officials have approved a total of 30 marking centres.
In addition, officials have appointed 12 889 markers to mark the scripts.
“We have also appointed 2 514 examination assistants who will serve the role of quality assurance of marked scripts at marking venues to ensure that there are no errors in the computing of learners’ marks,” says Lesufi.
The first marking session will take place on 15 November 2021 and the second marking session on 7 December 2021.
The marking process is expected to be completed by 23 December 2021.
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