Durban - As matric pupils sit for their first exam today, KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education head Nkosinathi Ngcobo said the department would ensure that nothing prevents the writing of any paper.
Ngcobo was speaking during a briefing last week on the state of readiness for the 2023 National Senior Certificate exams. It was also attended by MEC Mbali Frazer and other officials from the department.
The briefing came after 42 schools were damaged or destroyed during recent storms in northern KZN.
Weziwe Hadebe, the deputy director-general for Institutional Development, said 32 schools were affected in the uMkhanyakude area and 42 in total in the province.
“We have provided mobile classrooms to those affected schools. What we have done as well is to request those schools to utilise undamaged facilities in the schools while we are installing the classrooms,” she said.
She added that in the event of another storm, the department had mobilised all its resources to respond in 24 hours where there is damage.
“So all is well at this point. Schools will be ready to write. The repairs will then follow immediately.”
With regard to inclement weather, the HOD added the department was working together with the SAPS and the SANDF to deliver exam papers if need be.
To mitigate the impact of load shedding, Ngcobo advised pupils and teachers to always observe the schedule in their areas and “structure their study times such that they don’t coincide with the load shedding times and use the load shedding time for rest”.
He said it was fortunate that all of the exams would be written during the day.
Ngcobo confirmed that the IT and computer applications technology subjects, which require electricity and were written over two days this week, went off without a hitch.
“We are prepared to ensure that nothing prevents the writing of any paper,” said Ngcobo.
The MEC said the department was “combat ready” to administer the 2023 NSC exams for the 193 779 full-time and part-time candidates.
Frazer said the KZN exam system was the biggest in the country, with 6 710 invigilators to manage the exam sessions in 6 343 exam rooms.
“Our readiness is as a result of co-operation, collaborative work and progressive partnership with all our stakeholders, and we are forever grateful for their never-ending support,”she said.