Matric learners could be quarantined during load shedding
The education department has taken precautionary measures in the eventuality of power cuts
Should load shedding interrupt a matric exam paper, learners writing the exam will be quarantined.
This quarantine period could last up to two hours.
This is according to Steve Mabona, Gauteng Department of Education’s spokesperson.
“Those affected will be credited with equivalent additional time,” he said in a statement issued on Thursday afternoon.
According to him Wednesday’s matric exams proceeded successfully, regardless of minor delays experienced in some areas due to load shedding.
No information is available yet about Thursday’s information technology paper 1 written by Grade 12 learners.
Wednesday marked the commencement of the 2019 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations with 10 162 candidates writing the practical examination for computer applications technology across all 15 districts.
“Load shedding affected different regions at different times as per Eskom’s schedules. The department has 36 exam centres, whereby 26 centres managed to complete the exams with the use of generators which were on stand-by as a contingency plan, making the effects of power cuts minimal,” Mabona said.
“Some learners from these centres were transported to other centres to enable them to successfully complete their exams. However, ten centres were unable to write due to load shedding. A total of 317 learners are scheduled to re-write their exams at a later date to be announced by the department,” said Mabona.
The department has taken precautionary measures in the eventuality of power cuts.
Measures to be implemented are:
1. Quarantining candidates for up to two hours until the power is restored.
2. Schools will have generators on stand-by.
3. Candidates will be moved to other centres unaffected by load shedding.
4. In the event that all the above fails, candidates will be released and will write a back-up exam at a later date to be determined by department.
