Basic Education gives matriculants a second chance

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“Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga has approved that Senior Certificate (SC) candidates, who wrote the June 2019 examination and failed, as well as those who were absent with a valid reason, be allowed to write the November 2019 Examinations.

“It should be noted that the opportunity is open only to Senior Certificate (SC) candidates and not to National Senior Certificate (NSC),” said Basic Education spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga.

The department outlined the criteria for learners who were absent with a valid reason:

• In the case of illness, a copy of the medical certificate must be provided.
  
• If there was a death in the immediate family of a candidate, the candidate must produce a death certificate.
  
• For any other reason or circumstance beyond the control of the candidate, an affidavit must be provided. The valid reason(s) contained in the affidavit may be subjected to evaluation and verification by the Head of Examinations or a delegated examination official.

“Candidates that were absent with a valid reason and register online, must present the document/s supporting the reason/s for their absence to the nearest circuit, district or provincial office.

“The supporting documents cannot be uploaded online,” said Mhlanga.

The department said it will not allow candidates, who did not turn up to write without a valid reason, to sit for the exam.

Eligible candidates can register to write the exams by logging online on to the DBE website www.education.gov.za.

Online registration will only be available from 4 September 2019 at 8am and will close at midnight on 11 September 2019.

“The online system will only allow candidates to register for subjects that they wrote and failed or were absent. Hence, candidates will not be allowed to register for subjects they did not write in June 2019 or for any subject for which they achieved more than 30% or 40% in the case of Home Language,” said Mhlanga.

Candidates who do not have access to the online system may register at the nearest examination centre, circuit, district or provincial office.

Manual registration at circuit, district or provincial offices will open on Monday, 19 August 2019 and will close on 4 September 2019 at 4pm.

“In order to register both online and manual, candidates must provide an email address at which they can be contacted and a cellphone number, so that further details regarding the examination can be communicated via email or cellphone,” said Mhlanga.

Candidates who want to register to upgrade their results will only be able to do so in June 2020.