Question NW3685 to the Minister of Basic Education

Reply:

Introduction

The Department of Basic Education initiated the Second Chance Matric Programme (SCMP) in January 2016 to support learners who could not achieve subject passes in Matric. The Department will use the SCMP to support the Grade 12 learners who are currently writing matric exams in case they desire to rewrite the exams again in 2024.

The objective of the SCMP is to provide support to learners, who are upgrading their matric qualification or did not meet the requirements of the National Senior Certificate (NSC), by providing access to quality resources and lessons with the intention to improve their life chances. The programme will provide support to learners on part-time basis.

The programme offers support to prepare learners to write one or both national examinations opportunities in May/June and October/ November, respectively.

Learners who are writing the 2023 matric exams and would like to rewrite supplementary examinations, can register at their own schools or at a District office or online. Information online registration and the link to register are available on this website:

https://www.education.gov.za/Curriculum/SeniorCertificate/SCRegistration.aspx

Matric learners are only required to use an ID Copy and Statement of Results or Matric Certificate to register.

2. Forms of support that will be made available to learners.

Once learners are registered, they will be provided with support in the following four platforms:

      2.1 Platform number 1: Printed Learner Teacher Support Materials (LTSM) and other enriching resources

      The Department annually reprint the state-owned LTSM that are provided to registered learners. The printed materials include Mind the Gap self-study guides,              revision materials, previous question papers and memoranda and other self-help materials. The printed LTSM will be delivered to learners through the Provinces          and District offices, and where necessary, materials are couriered directly to schools.

 

         2.2 Platform number 2: Distribution of digital content through the Internet

The Programme distributes the digital study materials through the online and offline solutions. The digital study materials include the educational videos and audios that have been produced in the past. The online solution refers to the situation where learners who have access to the Internet and have devices are able to download digital study materials.

The Department has placed on the website: LTSM, multimedia and examination resources to be accessed by learners and teachers who have access to the Internet. Learners and teachers will be able to access these available resources before and during the exams. All these materials are available on this website:

https://www.education.gov.za/Programmes/SecondChanceProgramme.aspx

 

         2.3 Platform number 3: Face-to-face classes

Working in collaboration with the Provincial Education Departments (PEDs), the Department will facilitate the establishments of the face-to-face classes at selected schools throughout the country. At these centres, top-performing teachers will be selected to teach classes after hours and over weekends. Learners will be provided with the LTSM and other additional supporting materials. It is planned that 100 centres (centres refers to schools where learners attend classes) in Provinces will be established to support learners who will be writing the May/June 2024 examinations. The Department plans to support more than 50 000 learners through classes at the centres. The Department is working with the PEDs to gather learner data that will be finalise after registration.

                           

        2.4 Platform number 4: Broadcasting solution

The Department has forged partnerships with the public and private broadcasters to use both radio and television. The educational programmes are broadcast through major SABC regional radio stations and community radio stations. There are 12 SABC Regional radio stations and 10 local radio stations used to broadcast educational programmes to support the learners.

 

The educational programmes will also be broadcast through television stations that include SABC 1, DSTV Mindset (channel 319) and Open View HD (channel 201). The schedule of the programmes will be made available to learners so that they are aware about these programmes.

       

        2.5 Additional Support to learners

• Learners will be also offered opportunities to access the educational programmes through the provincial initiatives and private sector support. The telecommunication companies, Vodacom and MTN, have initiated e-school programmes that are made available to learners at no cost. The MTN eSchool is available on this link: https://www.mtnonlineschool.co.za/logint. And Vodacom eSchool is available on this link: https://www.vodacom.co.za/vodacom/shopping/v/vodacom-e-school
• Learners who have the mobile numbers of these companies, will access educational programs at no cost. More importantly, learners will access these programmes and do not need to have data.
• The NW Education Department has created the Toll-free number (0800 383 383) that will be given to learners who may call at no cost to access subject experts to assist them with subject contents.
• The Department has established a partnership with public libraries. The list of public libraries is shared through website and teacher WhatsApp Groups for learners to know where to access these libraries.
• Teacher/ Learner WhatsApp Groups – The teachers teaching at the centres are encouraged to form WhatsApp Group where learners will be able to engage with them. The Group will also be used to share study materials such as Study Guides, previous question papers and video materials.

 

3. Inclusive Education: The Department has expanded the SCMP to cater for learners with disabilities starting with the blind, deaf and partially sighted in these Provinces: Limpopo, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu Natal and Gauteng. The programme will be expanded in the other five Provinces in 2024.

 

4. Registration to rewrite. Learner who would like to rewrite matric subjects, may register at their school or at the district offices close to where they live or via online. Those who would like to register online, may access registration on this link:

https://www.education.gov.za/Curriculum/SeniorCertificate/SCRegistration.aspx