Pretoria - The preliminary examinations are expected to proceed as normal in Gauteng today following minor disruptions in exams on Tuesday.
The Gauteng Education Department said except for schools in Sharpeville, it was satisfied with the writing of the exams on Tuesday.
"Schools in Gauteng, including Soweto, wrote the examinations without incident. There was a standoff at Moletsane High School in the morning but after police intervention, the situation was stabilised and learners started writing at 9:30am," said the department's spokesperson Charles Phahlane.
Disruptions were caused by COSAS members marching to the district office to hand over a memorandum of grievances.
In Ekurhuleni, the request by student leaders at Zitikeni Secondary School to cancel the exams fell on deaf ears as learners proceeded to sit for the examinations. Despite disruptions at Thuto Pele Secondary School, all schools in the district were not affected.
Phahlane said the department was confident police would continue to react swiftly to threats and take action to secure the safety of learners and schools.
The department commended educators, parents and stakeholders who were making it possible for learners to catch-up and prepare for the final examinations, and also urged learners to continue to be focused on their preparation.
"The department would like to thank learners and their parents throughout the province for their positive attitude to the matric preliminary exams, as well as their hard work and dedication in spite of the many challenges they face, we continue to commit to supporting them in every way we can during these difficult times," Phahlane said.
