NATIONAL NEWS - The education department has met with Eskom CEO, Andre de Ruyter, to table proposals after grave concerns over the impact of load-shedding on the 2021 matric exams.
The departments of basic education, public enterprises and De Ruyter, along with other managers, held a virtual meeting last week Thursday, November 11.
This was after basic education parliamentary portfolio committee chairperson Bongiwe Mbinqo-Gigaba said there was grave concern regarding the lack of electricity supply affecting not only actual exams but also impacting learners’ preparations for the examinations.
“It is particularly concerning with the national senior certificate examinations.”
Basic education spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga in a statement said the department outlined the scope of the NSC examinations and why it was important to have electricity supply at all times.
Mhlanga said that load-shedding was creating a general sense of anxiety and tension to candidates at a time when they were meant to feel “totally relaxed and focused on writing their all-important examinations”.
“The crucial period of preparing for the examination the night before is now disrupted by loadshedding.
“Then there is added stress emanating from the traffic congestion in the morning due to non-functioning traffic lights.”
He said the department proposed a set of plans for Eskom, for serious consideration.
The department proposed for load-shedding to be avoided when the South African sign language home language was written on November 23 and 30, as it required laptops and other assistive devices.
The department proposed for Eskom to also suspend load-shedding every evening, from Sunday to Thursday, for four hours across the country.
It requested the time slot between 19:00 and 23:00 to be avoided at load-shedding times.
“This would allow learners to prepare for the examination to be written the following morning.”
It called for the suspension of load-shedding across the 194 marking centres when the marking process kicks off on December 8 to December 22, and further suspend load-shedding across the 37 capture sites from December 11 to December 27.
“Eskom said the proposals would be considered and that a team would be assembled to see how these measures would be implemented.”
Mhlanga said De Ruyter indicated that other sectors had also made similar requests and that Eskom would consider the recommendations.
“He indicated that Eskom had since adjusted the load-shedding schedule to stage 2 and that in the next few days load-shedding would not happen.
“He cautioned, however, that there were no guarantees as the situation was being monitored on a regular basis.”
De Ruyter expressed regret for the inconvenience caused to the matric candidates and the department saying that Eskom as an organization understood the challenges brought by load-shedding.
