By Lerato Mpembe
In a move designed to support matriculants and learners ahead of the 2024 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations, the Department of Home Affairs has announced a new initiative to open select offices on Saturdays, starting from 21 September to 12 October 2024. This effort aims to provide matriculants, among others, with vital services such as the issuance of Temporary Identity Certificates, ID collection, and application services. The department is prioritising matriculants during this period to ensure they are well-prepared to sit for their final exams.
Home Affairs Services for Matriculants
Duwayne Esau, the spokesperson for the Minister of the Department of Home Affairs, confirmed the department’s commitment to ensuring that matriculants and other learners have access to their identification documents. According to Esau, the offices will operate for five hours on Saturdays, from 08:00 to 13:00, to provide the necessary support to learners. This initiative has been designed to accommodate the increased demand for identity documents as the NSC exams approach.
“The department is scheduled to open its offices for five hours a day on Saturdays from 21 September to 12 October 2024. Matriculants and learners will be prioritised during this period,” Esau explained.
Home Affairs Minister Dr. Leon Schreiber further emphasised the importance of this initiative, noting that it aims to enable matriculants to sit for their final exams without hindrances caused by missing identification documents. “This initiative is specifically aimed at enabling matriculants to write their exams, which is the first step towards economic empowerment of young people. We encourage matriculants who are waiting on their IDs, along with their parents, to make their way to the nearest Home Affairs office or the office where they applied,” said Minister Schreiber.
The department also called on clients who have received SMS notifications indicating that their identification documents are ready for collection to take advantage of the weekend openings to collect these critical documents.
Special Visit to Soweto Office
In support of this drive, Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Njabulo Nzuza, is scheduled to visit the Orlando Home Affairs Office in Soweto on 21 September 2024. This high-profile visit is expected to further highlight the department’s commitment to assisting matriculants and ensuring the smooth issuance of ID documents.
Media members are invited to attend the event, with details as follows:
• Date: 21 September 2024
• Time: 10:00
• Venue: 11902 Kumalo Main Road and Armitage Street, Soweto2024 National Senior Certificate Examination Preparation
This initiative from the Department of Home Affairs comes as the Department of Basic Education (DBE) prepares for the 2024 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations. The NSC exams are scheduled to commence on 21 October and run until 27 November 2024. This year, the exams will see the participation of 732,448 full-time candidates and 136,195 part-time candidates across 6,909 centres nationwide.
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube expressed confidence in the department’s preparedness for the exams. “The Class of 2024 has faced unique challenges, particularly with the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, we have put systems in place to ensure that every learner is supported and prepared for these crucial exams,” said Minister Gwarube.
The Impact of COVID-19 on the Class of 2024
The Class of 2024 has faced considerable adversity throughout their academic journey due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of these learners were in Grade 8 when the pandemic first disrupted the school calendar in 2020, creating gaps in their academic progress. As they moved into Grade 9 in 2021, their subject selection year, the disruptions continued, affecting their preparation for Grade 10.
In response, the Department of Basic Education introduced the Learning Recovery Programme, aimed at addressing the learning losses caused by rotational attendance and social distancing. By the time the learners reached Grade 11 in 2023, the system had largely recovered from the disruptions, and the department intensified its support to prepare these learners for their final exams.
Comprehensive Support for Learners
To ensure learners are adequately prepared, the Department of Basic Education has implemented several interventions, including the provision of diagnostic reports, study materials, and past question papers. Furthermore, Director-General Mathanzima Mweli has led extensive outreach programs, visiting study camps and offering guidance to learners to help them prepare for their exams.
The department has also prioritised ensuring that teachers are equipped with the tools and training they need to support learners effectively. Over 55,000 markers have been appointed to assist with the marking process, which will commence shortly after the conclusion of the exams at 188 marking centres across the country. The results of the 2024 NSC exams are expected to be released on 16 January 2025.
Inclusion of South African Sign Language in NSC Exams
One of the highlights of the 2024 NSC exams is the inclusion of South African Sign Language (SASL) Home Language (HL) exams for the seventh year. This year, 210 candidates from 23 schools across nine provinces will sit for the SASL HL exams. This inclusion is part of the department’s efforts to create a more inclusive education system that caters to all learners, including those with hearing impairments.
Provincial Breakdown of Candidates
KwaZulu-Natal has the highest number of registered candidates for the 2024 NSC exams, with 172,213 full-time candidates, followed by Gauteng with 136,620. The other provinces have also registered significant numbers of candidates, highlighting the national scale of the exams and the department’s efforts to ensure a smooth process in all regions.
• KwaZulu-Natal: 172,213 candidates
• Gauteng: 136,620 candidates
• Eastern Cape: 103,975 candidates
• Limpopo: 94,236 candidates
• Mpumalanga: 68,455 candidates
• Western Cape: 64,552 candidates
• North West: 41,480 candidates
• Free State: 37,737 candidates
• Northern Cape: 13,180 candidatesMinister Gwarube’s Remarks on the Importance of the Exams
Minister Gwarube has emphasised the importance of the NSC exams as a “pivotal moment” in learners’ educational journeys. She commended the efforts of teachers and education officials in preparing the Class of 2024, despite the challenges brought about by the pandemic. The minister expressed confidence that the learners are well-prepared to succeed in the upcoming exams.
“The hard work and dedication of our teachers, learners, and the broader education community will undoubtedly pay off. The Class of 2024 is ready to meet the challenge of the NSC exams, and we are confident that they will do so with distinction,” said Minister Gwarube.
Encouraging Matriculants to Collect Their IDs
As the final exams approach, both the Department of Basic Education and the Department of Home Affairs are urging matriculants to ensure they have the necessary identification documents. The Department of Home Affairs’ Saturday openings provide a crucial opportunity for matriculants to collect their IDs or Temporary Identity Certificates before their exams begin.
“We encourage clients who have applied for identification documents and have received their SMS notifications, to seize this opportunity by visiting their Home Affairs office to collect these critical documents,” Esau added.
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