KwaZulu-Natal still hoping for an 80% matric pass rate despite load shedding and Covid-19 interruptions

Premier Sihle Zikalala adressing Umlazi Commercial high school matric pupils on Thursday. Standing behind is Education MEC Kwazi Mshengu. Photo: Supplied

Premier Sihle Zikalala adressing Umlazi Commercial high school matric pupils on Thursday. Standing behind is Education MEC Kwazi Mshengu. Photo: Supplied

Published Nov 11, 2021

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DURBAN - DESPITE rolling blackouts in the country, the provincial government says it will still meet the 80% matric pass rate target.

This was revealed by Premier Sihle Zikalala during his visit to Umlazi Commercial high school to monitor the writing of examinations on Thursday.

Speaking to the media, the premier said the provincial government is concerned about Eskom’s inability to fix load shedding in the country, adding that the province was badly affected.

He, however, added that there is still hope that the matric results will improve.

He said it is important that the province do well and improve the pass rate as the majority of matriculants are in KZN.

Umlazi Commercial High school matric pupils listening to premier speech before starting their exam paper on Thursday. Photo: Supplied

“Pupils, you must work hard because as you sit for your exam, you are not only carrying your future and that of the province, but the entire country is relying on your performance. Our province, because of the high number of pupils writing matric, carries the burden of improving the results of the whole country, because if we do well, the national pass rate will improve too,” said Zikalala.

The premier was accompanied by Education MEC Kwazi Mshengu, who reiterated his call for Eskom to reschedule load shedding timetable in line with exam times.

He said he is still pursuing the national department in a bid to have it to talk to Eskom.

He said although load shedding has affected studying times for pupils, it had not affected exams much as these were always written during the day. Pupils wrote home languages on Thursday morning and were expected to write Geography in the afternoon.

More than 200 000 pupils have sat for the exams in the province in the more 1700 centres.

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