TEARS, nostalgia, tummies full of butterflies and mixed emotions marked the start of the 2013 Matric senior certificate examinations on Monday, and the end of their school years.
It was all systems go for the National Senior Certificate Examinations when Berea Mail visited Ridge Park College as the girls wrote their first paper, English Paper 1.
A few anxious parents were milling around waiting patiently to see their children after their first paper. Prayer Ntuli, a nurse working the night shift was pacing the school reception eagerly waiting to see her daughter Nobuhle. “I am so nervous for her. She called me last night and said she was so nervous and crying. It’s better that I was working and didn’t see her,” she said holding a gift bag of chocolates. Ntuli said she had brought the chocolates and a card to comfort Nobuhle as the stress of matric exams had got to her. “I remember doing the same thing on her first day of school,” Ntuli laughed, “but then I brought her a cake.”
Nobuhle ran straight into her mother’s arms after the exam was over, relief etched on her face.
Penny Nkonyeni KZN MEC for Education and KZN HoD, Nkosinathi SP Sishi wished the class of 2013 good luck and assured KwaZulu-Natal that the department had done everything required to run a credible examination process.
“Our goal is to present an irregularity-free examination process. In this regard, we have ensured that our systems are ready and set up for the task that lies ahead. We would like to assure the people of our province that we have done everything that is required by policy to safeguard the examination process and we will remain vigilant for the duration of the examination period to ensure that we maintain the integrity of the outcomes,” Nkonyeni added.
