THE heat is officially on for matrics now returning to school after the winter holidays, with just three months before they start writing their final exams on October 19. Many of them will be entering this period weighed down with a sense of dread, especially if the first half of the year proved less than satisfactory on the academic front.

But if these learners put shoulder to the wheel right now, and apply military precision in scheduling their remaining time, they can expect a major improvement in results, an education expert says.
“Learners should know that in addition to the tough few academic months lying ahead, they will also be enticed away from their books by many distractions, such as matric farewells and end-of-year parties,” said Nola Payne of The Independent Institute of Education.

“Prelim exams are less than a month away and these are a good indicator of how a learner will fare in the final exams. But while the prelim exams are considered the ‘warm up’, and often the ‘wake up’ call for many, learners who already know they need to make an extra effort should not wait until then to consider how they will approach their final exams,” she said.

Instead, they should take stock of where they are and how they can wring every last ounce of value from the time they have left.