Plans to Protect Matric Students from COVID-19

Plans to Protect Matric Students from COVID-19

Date Published: October 26, 2020

The Department of Education has ensured that all students who have COVID-19 will not write their 2020 Matric final exams. 

More venues are being organised to help schools and pupils prepare for examination spaces that adhere to all of the COVID-19 regulations.

Public Schools

Due to the rapid coronavirus outbreak, many schools had to branch out into community halls and recreational centres to be able to abide by the social distancing regulation. 

This has been the only way to cater for the large group of matric pupils that are set to write their final examinations in December 2020.

Symptomatic Learners

The Department of Education will have screening stations at every examination venue to ensure that symptomatic learners will not be allowed in to write their examinations. 

This is a step to prevent the spread of the virus and stop another outbreak, like the one seen at Tin Roof in Cape Town. 

Students unable to write their December examinations will automatically be allowed to write the supplementary examinations next year.

Teachers and Invigilators

Learners are not the only ones at risk. The Department of Education is concerned about putting their teachers and invigilators in harm’s way by exposing them to the potential virus. 

Not only may some of these academic staff have underlying health problems, but if some have to leave their post to isolate as a result of the illness, there will be a severe shortage of academic staff with absolutely no replacements.

This is due to many teachers and invigilators already having been recruited as more areas and venues need to be covered to adhere to the social distancing regulations. 

Author: Andrea Frisby