GAUTENG Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi visited the Hoërskool Kempton Park National Senior Certificate (NSC) examination marking centre on December 7.
The NSC examinations for 2017 took place from October 23 to November 28.
Lesufi had previously expressed his interest in visiting an exam centre in order to interact with markers and district officials.
The MEC’s visit formed part of the strategic plan to oversee the smooth running of the NSC exams from commencement to completion.
This follows a series of visits by the MEC, which included Secondary School Intervention Programme (SSIP) sites where Lesufi interacted with learners and parents and stressed the importance of preparation and due diligence for the exams.
Lesufi provided support and encouraged markers to be efficient and diligent during the marking process.
“I felt that I must come and thank you for your sacrifice and commitment,” Lesufi told the 622 markers.
“It is not easy in the environment that we are in to find people who can contribute to the education of our children. To you it might sound like employment, but to us it is a partnership that must work.
“Your contribution adds value to the entire education value chain, and it is very important to appreciate and give necessary support and guidance to the people who add value to the education value chain.
“Thank you to those who have concluded the task, and those who are about to conclude, just do it so that in the end we can be counted amongst the best.”
Among those who welcomed Lesufi was the school’s principal, Roelof Burger.
“This is my 25th year as the principal of the school, and it is really an honour to have your political leader in the education department at provincial level visit your school,” said Burger.
“This is the fourth year as a marking centre. Everything is running smoothly, and the markers are working very hard. Being a marker is hard work and very exhausting, but they are doing a great job.
“I am also proud of my staff. They know the system and have prepared very well, and everything is going according to plan, with no problems.”
Burger told EXPRESS he is happy with this year’s examination process.
“The examinations in our school, the province and countrywide went very well this year. There were no reports of the leaking of papers, so the first part went very well,” explained Burger.
“Our pass rate at our school is always around 99 or 99.5 per cent, but we are hoping for a 100 per cent pass rate this year.
“If we don’t get the 100 per cent pass rate, we want to at least maintain our pass rate.”
Most centres commenced marking on November 30 and are expected to conclude by December 14 in accordance with the marking management plan.
The visit’s programme was kept short in order to minimise disruption.
Lesufi also ensured the markers that they will be paid on time.
The examination papers marked at the centre were:
• Business Studies
• Mechanical Technology
• Religion Studies Paper 2
• Sepedi Home Language Paper 1
• Sepedi Home Language Paper 2
• Sepedi Home Language Paper 3
• Tshivenda Home Language Paper 1
• Tshivenda Home Language Paper 2
• Tshivenda Home Language Paper 3
