Pretoria - Education MEC Barbara Creecy says she is deeply worried about this year's matriculants who are only a few weeks away from sitting for their final exams.
Speaking at a media briefing regarding the impact of the ongoing public service strike, the MEC said out of the 792 exam centres in the province, 500 have been severely affected by the strike. That totals roughly 65 percent.
The department has also had to postpone the preliminary exams for two weeks. They will now be written in the afternoons so that catch up programmes can take place in the mornings.
"I need 20 teaching days, I need time for the exams...and I can't make days but that does not mean learning can't continue," said Creecy, who added that the impact of the strike was giving her sleepless nights.
Creecy said it was important to use the time wisely and not focus on the strike.
"Under these conditions, the best way to learn is to establish voluntary study groups where learners can help each other go through past papers and study notes," she said, adding that other programmes to help pupils catch up on lost learning and teaching time included learning camps and distributing printed learner support material.
She appealed for parents, community members and community organisations to volunteer their time to lead the study groups and assist learners. These study groups programmes would continue after the strike.
The department has also printed 40 000 sets of study material to use that will be handed out in the province for matric pupils to help with preparation for exams.
The study booklets are for essential subjects like maths, maths literacy, accounting, natural science, life science and business economics. They are available on the department's website at www.thutong.gov.za and www.education.gpg.gov.za
The department will implement extra classes for Grade 12 had will be running on Saturdays to help pupils prepare. The department will also be holding learning camps for pupils that would also help push with the syllabus before the exams.
Special attention the MEC said will on the provinces' under performing schools. Under performing means a pass rate of less that 70 percent for last year's finals.
