Pretoria – President Jacob Zuma has called on families, neighbours, government and communities to support all the Grade 12 learners who sat for the examinations in 2015, particularly those who would discover that they have failed the matric examinations.
This as Basic Education Minister Angie Mothekga on Tuesday night announced a pass rate of 70.7 per cent for the 2015 matric exams. This was down from 75.8% achieved in 2014.
President Zuma called on families, neighbours and communities to give support to those who would discover tonight that they have failed in the examinations.
“They must never think this is the end of the road because it isn’t. I want to encourage them to explore the many opportunities provided which include rewriting at various rewriting centres across the country as well as joining the vocational training route, thereby adding to much needed technical skills in the country,” said President Zuma.
The President has also urged all schools, supported by the Department of Basic Education, to assist young people in securing opportunities to build their lives and to assure them that failure does not mean there is no future but instead they should be encouraged to use the temporary setback to open up more doors for their personal development.
Help is available
President Zuma further appealed to all media platforms in the country to publish contact details for depression centres and other facilities that provide opportunities for rewrites as well as vocational training for the youth.
Help is available for learners at the Basic Education toll-free number 0800 202 933.
The Department will also launch a Second Chance Matric Programme which is intended to provide support to learners who have not been able to meet the requirements of the National Senior Certificate (NSC) and thereby meeting the goals of the National Development Plan by increasing learner retention. The categories of learners who will be covered are those learners who qualify to write Supplementary Examinations for a maximum of two subjects, progressed learners who pursue multiple opportunities to complete the NSC, and learners who failed to meet the requirements of the NSC in 2015.
The Department of Social Development has also made available to the Matric Class of 2015 a 24-hour call centre for learners to receive counselling by social workers as the results are released.
Learners can call 0800 428 428 to speak to a social worker for assistance and counselling – toll free. They can also request a social worker from the Command Centre to contact them by dialling *120*7867# (free) from any cell phone.
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