Mpumalanga ready for matric exams
Council assures that law enforcement agencies would be on high alert during the examinations.
HIGHVELD – The Mpumalanga Executive Council is satisfied with the state of readiness for the Grade 12 National Senior Certificate examinations next month and anticipates a smooth process.
There are 546 public examination centres throughout the province that will cater for more than 65 000 pupils.
Schools with a history of incidents of irregularities, will receive intensive monitoring through full-time monitors.
The on-site final candidate verification was done with school principals before the winter school recess.
All sectors of society are urged to afford candidates a conducive environment to sit for their examinations.
The council was assured that law enforcement agencies would be on high alert during the examinations.
It has also approved the Mpumalanga Provincial Mathematics Strategy that seeks to increase the participation rates in mathematics in Grades 10 to 12.
The strategy further seeks to increase performance in mathematics at exit points and to improve the quality of passes in terms of improved average scores.
It also targets the increased participation and performance of girls in mathematics, while at the same time it enhances the teaching of the subject.
The Department of Education will profile schools and teachers to be offered specific and differentiated support, such as the customisation of work schedules for under-performing schools.
The department will furthermore provide training and support on e-learning and the use of e-resources for teaching and learning while it strengthens the use of available resources such as workbooks, laboratory equipment, information technology equipment and mathematics kits.
The strategy will include recruiting well performing Grade 12 pupils and award them bursaries to study to become mathematics teachers.
The council urged residents and teachers in particular to refrain from discouraging pupils from taking mathematics and science as subjects.
These are prerequisite subjects for the critical skills required to drive the provincial economy.
