PRETORIA - It was all joy and excitement for the Grade 12 pupils at Nellmapius Secondary School in Pretoria as they started with their 2022 National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams today.
Some of those interviewed said the exams were hyped and that put pressure on the learners because everyone was looking at them with eyes full of hope.
They said they were also excited because 2022 was their last year in high school and they could not wait to enter higher institutions of learning.
The exams will run from today until December 7.
The Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga, education MEC Matome Chiloane and Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi monitored the start of the 2022 NSC exams at the school.
Addressing the monitoring, Motshekga said the class of 2022 had had the toughest grooming and learning after being hit by Covid-19 while they were in Grade 10 two years ago.
"Teachers, professionals, everyone landed a hand to support. They were the most affected but we gave them all sorts of support," she added.
WATCH: Matric Class of 2022 is ready to put pen to paper and Education minister Angie Motshekga says DBE is fully prepared. Full story here: https://t.co/VZgwgZRf3s#classof2022 #matric #MatricExams pic.twitter.com/pRBTqJgZJy
To motivate the learners, she spoke about a boy who only attended school for six months before being later hospitalised.
The schoolboy still became one of the top learners and she asked him how he had made it to the top, he replied: "Every time I woke up I read, every time I had a chance I read."
Motshekga is confident that the exams would go well despite the load shedding crisis. She said the learners must accept the situation and move on because they could not allow the crisis to disrupt their exam process.
In comments carried in the minister's statement, Chiloane said all would go well and smoothly during the exams. He said the department was expecting good results from the pupils.
Lesufi, who is also the former education MEC, encouraged the learners to do well in their exams.
"This is the most important examination, it will determine your future. In everything that you are going to apply in life, they will have a matric certificate," he said.
Education