Durban - THE National Senior Certificate exams got off to a smooth start yesterday as the matric class of 2020 sat down for the life orientation paper, the provincial Department of Education said.
Despite the challenges that came with the Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdown, which saw pupils spending more time away from the classroom, the department said it was ready to host the exams.
Education spokesperson Muzi Mahlambi appealed to parents, guardians and communities to rally behind the matric class of 2020.
Mahlambi said in KwaZulu-Natal, 146 250 candidates wrote life orientation, 319 were part-time candidates and 145 878 were full-time candidates.
He said the paper was delivered on time and safely to the nodal points for schools to collect in time for the two-hour exam. He added that no glitches were reported in any parts of the province.
Although the life orientation paper was written by all candidates, universities still do not recognise the subject for points required to gain entry to the institutions.
The paper is set externally, but marked at school level and is included in the final results as one of the subjects.
The 2020 Senior Certificate Exams will get into full swing on November 5, with English Paper 2, and conclude on December 15.
A small number of matric pupils will write the practicals in computer applications technology and information technology tomorrow and on Thursday.
More than 1 million matric candidates will sit for the NSC exams, making this the largest examination to be administered in the country.
Daily News