Education
(1) How many learners in the province who registered for the 2020 NSC examination will have to complete the examination in 2021;
(2) whether all of the extensions are related to those who contracted COVID-19; if not, (a) how many are, (b) what are the details of the process that is followed upon which such an extension is granted and (c) what are her Department’s plans pertaining to the awareness or preventative measures in this regard?
(1) 54 741 fulltime learners are registered to write the NSC November 2020. It is not yet possible to state how many of these learners will have to complete the examination in 2021 as the current exam session is still ongoing.
Candidates may be absent from the examination for a myriad of reasons including illness, death in the family, special circumstances such as representing the province or country in an event, etc. The number of learners who will have to write in May/June 2021 will only be determined once the examination has been concluded and all scripts and marksheets have been returned and reconciled.
(2) No.
(a) This number is not available at this stage. It is not possible to answer this question as the examination is in progress and learners could be absent for many reasons other than Covid-19. Candidates may also contract Covid-19 during the remaining exam period.
(b) Normal examination procedures are followed and all candidates that are registered for the November NSC exams are eligible to apply to write the May/June Supplementary Examinations.
(c) Normal Covid-19 screening protocols are followed at all Exam Centres. The DBE and National Department of Health advised just before the start of the exam that they were allowing learners with temperatures higher than 38º Celsius to write in isolation at their Exam Centres, and even allowing those who are Covid-19 positive to write at another venue. The WCED is doing everything possible to make suitable arrangements for such learners who are fit to write their exams.
