Matric exams start with 'fairly easy' English paper

GEORGE NEWS - With knots in the stomach, but also excitement, matrics have arrived at the decisive stage in their school career where they are sitting the National Senior Certificate examinations which began on Monday 31 October.

Their first paper was English grammar and comprehension, followed by economics on Tuesday and Afrikaans on Wednesday.

Today, Thursday 3 November, history, and engineering graphics and design are on the timetable and on Friday the first mathematics paper will be written.

Basic Education Minister (DBE) Angie Motshekga on Sunday said the department will continue to liaise closely with Eskom to manage the challenges posed by load shedding. She said the DBE is fully prepared to administrate the November 2022 examinations.

Western Cape Minister of Education David Maynier said the pandemic caused much disruption and anxiety, which has made an already stressful exam even more challenging.

He urged all learners struggling to cope with the pressure to approach their teachers for help, or to contact the Safe Schools hotline on 0800 45 46 47 (toll free).

The Western Cape Education Depart-ment's ePortal contains nearly 9 000 matric-specific support resources that learners can access to do extra revision before the exams. This includes revision guides, Telematics videos, marking guides, study tips and a variety of others.

Edmun-Lee Windwaai van George Sekondêr: Ek was nie senuweeagtig nie. Ek het 'n baie goeie onderwyser en het myself goed voorberei. Ons het vooraf notas, ou vraestelle en oefeninge gekry wat ons kon deurwerk. Die vraestel was baie beter as in die rekordeksamen. Ek is baie positief oor die res van die eksamen.

Mikhael Peters of Heatherlands High: It wasn't difficult. I felt comfortable. I was not feeling nervous. Actually I felt quite calm. I feel well prepared and worked hard during the year for the exams.