Johannesburg - Just under 23 percent of pupils who sat for the 2014 supplementary matric exams got a matric certificate, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga said on Monday.
Out of the 66 105 pupils who wrote the supplementary examinations, 15 030 passed, Motshekga said in a statement.
“The 2014 supplementary examinations proceeded without any incidents that may affect the integrity and the credibility of the examinations.”
The examinations took place at 6168 centres around the country between February 17 and March 25, under the same conditions as those used in November last year.
“The supplementary examination is a special examination offered to candidates that were indisposed and were therefore unable to write the examination in November 2013,” said Motshekga.
“The examinations are also offered to candidates that may have failed the November 2013 NSC examination by not more than two subjects.”
Those who wrote both the supplementary examination and last year's November examination, were considered to have taken part in one examination sitting.
Adding the students who passed the supplementary exams, the national pass rate rose to 80.8 percent, from 78.2 percent last year.
“A total of 454 809 candidates have now been successful in attaining the National Senior Certificate in the Class of 2013,” said Motshekga.
Following the supplementary exams, 1303 more pupils qualified for admission to do bachelor studies, 2834 were eligible for diploma studies and 10 763 more qualified for higher certificate studies.
“We are proud of the learners who took the decision to again sit for the examinations after their setback last year during the Grade 12 final examinations,” the minister said.
Sapa