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Pandemic, loadshedding that’s what top matric achievers had to endure

THE 2023 matric results will be announced on Thursday, with individuals receiving their marks on Friday.

Basic Education minister Angie Motshekga, hosted breakfast this morning, with top achievers in Johannesburg.

The minister said she was ‘pleased’ with the results.

“You were in grade 10 when we were hit by the Covid-19 storm and when we sent learners back to school that year, you were the last group to go back to school. So we were really concerned about you,” she said.

The matric class of 2022 has the largest cohort of candidates to date. 753 964 full-time and 167 915 part-time candidates were registered to write the final matric exams.  

The delay on announcing the results was students began writing on 31 October 2022 and finished their last papers on 7 December 2022. 

Learners will be able to fetch their results at their school or institution early on Friday, 20 January.

The department confirmed that matrics will have until Friday, 3 February 2023, to request a remark or recheck their exam papers.

If learners wish to retake an exam or improve their results, the next opportunity will be May/June 2023.

The minister said the state school sector serves over 12-million pupils across the country but is often criticised and perceived as the “Cinderella” of the education sector.

“Yet, year after year, we prove our mettle and produce learners that fill all available first-year vacancies at universities, universities of technology and public colleges and excel.”

Chairperson of the quality assurance body Umalusi, Yunus Ballim, held a media briefing on Monday, 16 January, where he said that the results had been given the green light after being administered by the Department of Basic Education and the Independent Examinations Board.

“The release of matric results is a high stakes time for many students and parents who have invested in the idea that a successful future is dependent on excellent matric results.

Getting these final school marks in black and white can spiral some young South Africans into despair and crisis, especially if their matric results fall short of what they have hoped for,” says the psychologist.

She believes a failure to meet expectations should not be viewed as a defeat.

“It’s important to know that your results do not define your future. If the outcomes of your matric exams do not meet your expectations, this should not be viewed as a defeat but as an opportunity to unpack the choices and multiple pathways forward.

This may be a time for parents to support their teen in broadening their career perspectives and understanding the multiple opportunities available to move forward.”

Despite loadshedding, the pandemic, a Pretoria student clinched 6 distinctions and was awarded a bursary to study abroad but she turned it down as she wanted to pursue studies “home”.

“Yes, studying abroad has its advantages but being home provide family support considering my age and environment,” she was quoted.

Image (Top achievers celebrating with minister and deputy minister of education at the breakfast to honour them in Joburg, this morning).  

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