A total of 95 427 candidates will sit for this year’s National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations in the province this month – a significantly increase from the 64 465 candidates of last year.
According to Debbie Schäfer, provincial education minister, the increase in the number of candidates must be attributed to the cancellation of this year’s May/June exam session due to the Covid-19 pandemic. “[This session] was combined with the November session,” she explained.
A total of 137 examination papers will be written at 512 examination centres across the province. The subject with the largest number of candidates writing is mathematical literacy with 56 754 candidates, Schäfer added. The two maths literacy papers will be written on Thursday 12 and Monday 16 November.
“Administering the NSC exams is difficult enough in an ordinary year, without the added complications of a combined session amid a global pandemic,” she related.
At the 512 centres in the Western Cape, 2 540 community members have been appointed as invigilators.
The marking of scripts will be done at 10 marking centres from Tuesday 5 to Thursday 21 January next year. This process will be conducted by 2 964 markers and 889 students, who have been appointed as mark checkers.
The national minister of Basic Education is expected to announce the results of the class of 2020 on Monday 22 February next year.
“The provincial education department’s Examinations Directorate has done a sterling job in preparing for this session,” Schäfer said. “I thank all of our officials and school staff for their extensive preparations and wish them the very best in the running of the exams ahead.”
